


Seraphina Potter and the Criminal Mind

by StrikeMoonstone9387



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Female Harry Potter, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Magically Powerful Harry Potter, Master of Death Harry Potter, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Platonic to Romantic Soulmates, Soul Bond, Soulmates, slow build relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-28
Updated: 2018-03-31
Packaged: 2019-02-23 06:05:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 57,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13183920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StrikeMoonstone9387/pseuds/StrikeMoonstone9387
Summary: Meet Agent Seraphina ‘Sera’ Lily Potter. She is the BAU’s Healer/ medical doctor/ nanny, after having been transferred from the Department of Mysteries’ Phoenix Anti-Crime Unit (an international task-force of witches and wizards teamed together to fight crime in the magical world). A recent widow and young mother, she struggles to come to terms with her husband’s death while juggling her latest pregnancy, her kids, her Soul-Bond with a fellow Special Agent and running the Fortune 500 Company that her husband left in her name.





	1. Extreme Aggressor

** Chapter 1: Extreme Aggression **

Stafford, VA

In a large manor in Safford, Virginia, (<https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/18-Pelham-Way-Stafford-VA-22556/64507191_zpid/>) Seraphina ‘Sera’ Lily Potter was in the gourmet kitchen making dinner for her family. As she stirred the pot containing the stew, she could hear her 7-year-old godson, Edward Remus ‘Teddy’ Lupin, running after her 5 ¾ - and 1 ½ -year-old sons, Vijay James and Ajay Sirius, and 4-year-old daughter, Chandrika ‘Chanda’ Lily Singhania, through the hallways, their laughter and screams being echoed by the moving portraits that lined the walls as they followed the children’s progress through the home.

Sera was 4”9 with large almond-shaped emerald green eyes framed with long thick eyelashes, lightly arched eyebrows, pale white porcelain skin, a heart-shaped face, high cheekbones, a small button nose and knee-length raven black hair. Covering her jewel-colored eyes was a pair of rectangle black wire-framed glasses, as she preferred the glasses to her contact lenses – though she kept a pair of contact lenses with her in case she would need them.

With a practiced flick of her wand, she peeled and quartered the potatoes, tossing them into the stew. As she stirred the pot once more, she could hear the loud explosions followed by yelling coming in through the open kitchen door that led out into the back garden. Glancing out the window, she saw that the explosions were predictably made by her best friend’s older twin brothers and resident pranksters, Fred and George Weasley, with their wives and soulmates, Katie and Angelina, doing the yelling. The miniature verbal battle was being fueled by her cousin, Draco Malfoy and the twins’ younger sister, Ginevra ‘Ginny’ Zabini, wife and soulmate of Blaise Zabini.

“Amazing, isn’t it?” Came a soft British-accented voice from her side.

Sera turned to look at the woman who spoke. Astoria Malfoy, nee Greengrass, wife and soulmate of Draco Malfoy, a young woman a year younger than Sera was looking at her with large crystal blue eyes, her light blonde hair in a simple braid behind her back falling to her elbows. In her arms was her 4-month old daughter, Anastasia Malfoy, wide awake and watching them.

“What do you mean?” Sera asked, also in a British accent, turning back to the stove as Astoria put the baby in the infant swing and began cutting up the salad.

“12 years ago, if anyone would have said that a Weasley and a Malfoy would have a civil conversation, let alone live together in a place that is not Hogwarts, I would have had them sent to St. Mungos.” She replied, glancing at her across the island.

Sera snorted in a very unladylike manner. “Yes, I probably would have done the same thing.” She sighed. “And then we had the tournament from hell when Voldemort returned before having Umbridge for a teacher the following year.” Sera turned the stove to a low heat and turned to the younger woman, brushing her raven black fringe to the side. “You know, Madam Umbridge actually managed to do something that no-one has been able to do in over 500 years.”

“What did that toad manage to do?” Ronald ‘Ron’ Weasley asked, entering the kitchen and putting his hand in the salad bowl, only to receive a smack on the hand by Astoria.

“Unite the school.” Hermione Weasley, nee Granger, replied, entering after her soulmate and husband.

Before anyone could continue the conversation, Sera’s phone rang.

“Potter.” She said, answering the phone on the second ring.

As she spoke to her caller, Hermione began berating her husband on snacking while dinner is being prepared.

“You’ve got a case?” Hermione asked her when she ended the call, a worried look on her face.

“Yes.” Sera replied, washing her hands and removing her apron. “Kidnapping in Seattle.”

“Okay.”

“Guys!” Sera called through the open window, ending the longwinded verbal battle and turning all their attention to her. Casting a mild _Sonorus_ spell on herself so she could be heard through the house, she continued, “I have a case!”

With that statement, everyone gathered in the foyer of the house as Sera waved her wand over her body and changed her simple house dress into her work dress consisting of a red floor-length long-sleeved medieval dress (<https://www.pinterest.com/pin/474566879474264496/>) and matching red 4” heeled shoes (<https://www.pinterest.com/pin/474566879473600431/>), with her Gryffindor House class ring (<https://www.pinterest.com/pin/474566879474789004/>), symbolizing her as a Hogwarts graduate and Gryffindor, on her right hand ring finger. Her gun holster and dagger were strapped to a belt around her hips. Another wave had her knee-length raven black hair pulled into her customary 5-strand French-braid with the fringe tucked behind one ear (<https://www.pinterest.com/pin/474566879469222823/>). With that, she tucked her wand back into her arm holster, covering it with her sleeve as Teddy grabbed her go-bag and handed it to her while they made their way through the house and to the garage. With one last round of hugs and kisses, along with promises to be as safe as humanly possible, she got into the back seat of her car with Draco (playing the role of chauffeur) in the driver’s seat, her jewel green snake  (<https://www.pinterest.com/pin/474566879474249447/>) - Jade - coiled around her neck with a Chameleon spell on her, and peeled down the driveway, heading towards Quantico, Virginia and the FBI building where she worked with the Behavioral Analysis Unit.

FBI Office – Quantico, Virginia

20 minutes later, Draco pulled into the FBI’s parking structure and turned off the engine. Sera got out of the car and once again promised Draco to be as safe as humanly possible. As she headed towards the elevator that would take her to the security checkpoint on the first floor, she was met with SSA Derek Morgan.

“Hey.” He said in greeting when he saw her, coming to stand beside her as they waited for the elevator. She saw that he had his own go-bag in hand as well.

“Hello.” she replied, turning to him, adjusting the strap of her go bag.

“How did your ultrasound appointment go?” He asked looking down at her 20-week baby bump, holding the arrived elevator door open for her to enter.

She looked up at the large black man with smile, her emerald green eyes sparkling with humor as she responded the same way she did every time he asked since she told the team she was pregnant a month and a half earlier. “It went well.”

“You gonna tell me if I have a niece or a nephew?”

The elevator pinged and they got off.

“Nope.”

At the metal detectors, they split up, Sera going to the line that was specifically for magical people while Morgan went to the one for non-magical people.

As she waited for her turn, Sera thought about how different things were in America. In Britain, the very idea of a magical person, especially her as the Woman-Who-Conquered (among others), working along-side muggles who were aware of the magical world was a practically unheard of concept. However, in the US, all federal, military, law enforcement and medical personnel were informed of the magical world, and were put under a spell that would make it impossible for them to reveal its existence to anyone who wasn’t already aware of or a part of it. There were also powerful wards in place around the entire continent to ensure the safety of the magical world. While the wards had their downsides, like being unable to entirely keep the magical residents out of danger, the spells did make certain that magic wouldn’t be revealed even under duress. The spells and wards had been put into effect after Grindelwald’s reign of terror through Europe, where he had enlisted the aid of muggle Nazi Adolf Hitler. If a soldier or federal agent leaves the service with dishonor, if they are muggle, all memory and knowledge of the magical world is wiped from their minds.

She was brought back to the present by the security officer waving her through the scanner. Once they went through, checked and granted entry, they met up at the elevator that would take them to their floor.

“Okay fine, then answer me this. How are you able to walk in those heels?” Derek asked after they got onto the elevator and he pressed the button for their floor.

“That is for me to know and you to find out.” She replied sweetly, before adding, “Though, in a few months I’ll be relegated to wearing flats. Then I’ll be stuck being 4”9.” She ended with a pout.

“Aw. Poor baby.” Morgan cooed mockingly.

She responded by maturely sticking her tongue out at him, making the older man chuckle. Jade was hissing her amusement at Morgan’s repeated attempts at trying to figure out how she could perform various tasks, up to and including fighting and riding her motorcycle, in high heels as well as finding out the gender of the baby.

He hugged her as the doors opened and they got off. They entered the BAU bullpen and headed to Morgan’s desk.

Dropping her bag on the ground, she saw that two case files were already on Morgan’s desk, one for her and one for the older male. She picked it up and began looking through it, taking in the details. Once she had gone through it, she looked up and saw SSA Aaron ‘Hotch’ Hotchner making his way to SSA Jason Gideon’s office. She hurried up to the office behind him, joined by Morgan, reaching just as Gideon was saying that he would look over the case file and get some thoughts over to them ASAP.

“You’re gonna be with us in Seattle ASAP.” Hotch said, walking into Gideon’s office. Special Agent Doctor Spencer Reid was already inside the office, having been the one to get Gideon from his class of new recruits.

Gideon looked at him, mouth open in surprise. He removed his glasses, put them on the table and walked around his desk, towards to three agents. Morgan held out a photo of the victim to Gideon who accepted it.

“22-year-old Heather Woodland.” Morgan said as Gideon looked at the photo.

“Before she left for lunch, she downloaded an e-mail with a time-delayed virus attached.” Hotch said. “The killer’s virus wiped her hard drive and left this behind.” He handed Gideon another photograph, this one of a screenshot with a message printed across it.

FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE, CATCH ME BEFORE I KILL AGAIN. I CAN’T CONTROL MYSELF.

The message was repeated over and over.

“For heaven’s sake, catch me before I kill more. I cannot control myself.” Gideon read, turning around to face the wall behind him as they all looked at one of the photos.

The photo was of a crime scene left by William Heirens, The Lipstick Killer in 1945. On the wall, he left a message saying the same thing.

“He does not hold them for any longer than 7 days, which means we have fewer than 36 hours to find her.” Sera said as Gideon turned back to face them.

“They want you back in the saddle.” Morgan said. “You ready?”

“Looks like medical leave’s over, boss.” Reid added.

“They sure they want me?” Gideon asked.

“The order came from the Director.” Hotch replied.

“Well,” Gideon said, looking back at the wall for a moment before turning back to the team, “we’d better get started.”

“Brilliant.” Sera chirped cheerfully, “The jet is prepared.”

With that, they grabbed their go-bags and headed out. This time, instead of taking their own cars, they took the Bureau cars, a four-door sedan and an SUV, and chauffeured by two agents.

Once they reached the airport, they got out of the cars and made their way onto the plane.

As soon as Sera got inside, she dropped her bag on an empty seat and ran to the bathroom, throwing up the little she had eaten earlier. Behind her, she could hear the rest of the team shuffling in and taking seats as she felt Jade slither down and curl up on an empty seat.

“There’s something I don’t understand.” Morgan said, handing her a bottle of water once she got out of the bathroom and washed her hands and mouth. “why is it called ‘morning sickness’ if it happens all the time?”

“No idea and frankly I really do not care.” Sera grumbled, sitting down and buckling in, one hand on her bump while the other played with her black and gold wedding necklace (<https://www.pinterest.com/pin/474566879474301109/>) that touched her breastbone, as the plane began to move, making its way to the runway for take-off. “I just pray it is not as bad as it was with my last two pregnancies.” She turned to Hotch and asked, “How was Hayley’s morning sickness?”

“Not too bad. After her fourth month, it stopped.” Hotch replied with a small smile from his seat across the witch.

“Lucky. With both of mine, it carried on until the end. It drove me absolutely barmy.” She groaned.

_“Mee tooo.”_ Jade hissed.

“You don’t get pregnant Jade.” Hotch said to the snake, the only one who understood what the snake said.

_“You lay eggs.”_ Sera added in Parseltongue, glaring at the snake. _“There is a difference.”_

“Actually,” Reid started, ignoring the hissing with practice, “despite the exact cause of it being unknown, it’s widely believed that it has to do with the changing levels of a hormone called ‘human chorionic gonadotrophin’. It is also speculated that it may be useful from an evolutionary point of view-”

“Whoever came up with that likely did not spend every other hour puking.” Sera growled, cutting the young genius off as the plane levelled in the air, allowing them to unbuckle and group together. Hotch and Sera were remained seated across from each other, Morgan stood behind Hotch’s seat, Gideon stood in the aisle and Reid was perched on the bench next to Sera and Hotch.  

“So, what do we know about this unsub?” Gideon asked, changing the subject and bringing everyone back on track.

“His first victim was 26-year-old Melissa Kirsh.” Reid read from the report. “Stab wounds. Strangulation.”

“Wait. Wait. Back up. Back up.” Morgan interrupted, making Reid and Gideon look at him. “He stabbed her…and _then_ strangled her to finish her off?”

“Other way around.” Gideon replied before turning to Reid and Sera, asking, “Why do you think he started using the belt with the second murder?”

“Strangulation with bare hands is not as easy as one would believe.” Sera replied, taking a sip from her bottle of now flat ginger-ale.

“Yea. He probably tried, found it took too long…” Reid continued.

“So, he stabbed her instead.” Morgan finished.

“And realized it would take many hours to clean up the blood.” Sera added, a slight tremor in her voice as she spoke from experience. Hotch leaned over and took her hand, squeezing it gently before sitting back in his seat.

“Next time, our boys’ got a method-the belt.” Morgan continued, shooting a glance at Sera, who smiled back at him in silent reply.

“He’s learning.” Gideon said with a nod. “Perfecting his scenario. Becoming a better killer.”

_“Which, of coursssse, issss jusssst what we need.”_ Jade hissed sarcastically, as Sera took another sip of her soda and getting up to go to the bathroom.

When she got out, the rest of the flight was spent re-reading the case-file and getting into their work mind sets, after all, it would do their victim no good if they were preoccupied by their personal lives when her life is hanging by a thread.

Two hours later, they landed in Seattle and were picked up by the local FBI agents. Jade back in her place around Sera’s neck, with her Chameleon spell on as well.

FBI Northwest Field Office, Seattle, Washington

Reaching the Field Office, they went through security and made their way to the taskforce bullpen they were going to be working from, Morgan commenting to Reid about Gideon’s behavior since the case in Boston and the older agent’s Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The conversation ended when they reached the bullpen. They walked in, single-file, with Hotch introducing them as they passed by him.

“This is Special Agent Gideon, Special Agent Morgan – our expert on obsessional crimes, Special Agent Potter-”

“ _Dr.’s_ Potter and Reid.” Gideon corrected, shaking a senior agent’s hand and turning to the murder boards that were filled with what they know so far, each one containing a victim.

“Dr. Potter – our medical doctor, expert on the supernatural and mystical as well as various forms of combat and Liaison with the Magical World.”

“And team nanny.” Sera said sarcastically, earning a few light chuckles from the team.

“Dr. Reid –” Hotch continued, ignoring the quip, no matter how true it was, “our expert on…well everything, and after 2 years busting my butt in this office, I hope you remember me.” He ended the introductions with a smile, causing chuckles to go around.

“He’s willing to travel with the body.” Gideon commented, looking at the map that was on the board.

“Then he drives a vehicle capable of concealing one.” Hotch said, turning to the board.

“1 in 7.4 drivers in Seattle owns an SUV.” Reid stated.

“Explorer with tinted windows.” Morgan suggested.

“Explorers rate higher with women.” Reid replied.

“How do we know it is his vehicle?” Sera asked. “Ted Bundy drove a VW Bug.”

“What about a Jeep Cherokee?” Hotch suggested.

“Jeeps are more masculine.” Reid replied.

“We all know how an unsub feels about asserting his masculinity.” Gideon added.

“When did the Bureau become involved in the case?” Sera asked the lead agent.

At her question, the rest of the team also turned to the agent.

“After the fourth body. He dumped that one out of state.”

“On purpose.” Hotch stated.

“If so, knowledge of law enforcement does suggest a criminal record.” Reid commented.

“Or that he watches the telly.” Sera pointed out.

“May I?” Morgan asked, holding his hand out to the lead agent for the file. Receiving it, he began flipping through it.

“So you wanna see our suspect list?” another agent asked.

“No. Not at the moment.” Sera replied.

“We won’t look at a suspect list until after we come up with a profile.” Hotch explained. “It keeps our perspective unbiased.”

“When do we sit down with your taskforce?” Gideon asked over his shoulder.

“4:00.” Came the reply from the agent that was speaking to Hotch and Sera.

“An accurate profile by 4:00 today?” Morgan asked, glancing up from the file he was reading from.

“That’s not a problem.” Gideon said.

“Agent Gideon, where would you like to start?” Hotch asked.

Gideon walked to the murder board that contained the details about the last victim. “At the site of the last murder.” He replied, pointing to the photograph of the scene. “Morgan, you and I’ll be going.”

“Okay, and we’ll go see Heather’s next of kin.” Hotch said, gesturing to himself, Reid and Sera.

With nods all around, the left the building and went their separate ways.

XXXXXXXXXX

Heather Woodland’s Home

Reaching the victim’s home, the trio got out of the car and knocked on the front door.

“How are the kids handling what happened?” Hotch asked Sera as they waited for a response.

“They are handling it as well as can be expected. It has been a challenge and it has barely been a month. Teddy, Vijay and Chanda understand that their father is gone, but Ajay does not. He still wakes up at night and wanders the house looking for him, but having Raj’s portrait has helped. They can still talk and interact with him.” She replied, playing with her 20-carat white gold Verragio 3-stone engagement ring and wedding band (<https://www.pinterest.com/pin/474566879473358552/>) that contained a hint of a black coating visible only to magical beings, indicating her widowed status. She put a hand on her baby bump. “There is also the knowledge that the closest communication this child will have with Raj is the portrait, but it is still more than many have. So, I am taking the ‘glass-is-half-full’ approach, and it seems to be working. At least for the time being.” She sighed, “But I still miss him. I miss him like hell.”

Hotch nodded understandingly, putting a hand on her dainty shoulder, as the door opened and a young man answered.

“Hello, can I help you?” he asked.

“Hi, David Woodland?” Hotch asked.

“Yes? What is this about?”

“We’re with the FBI. We’re here to talk to you about your sister, Heather. Is it okay if we come in?” Hotch replied, looking at the man.

“Uh, yeah, sure.” David moved to the side and let them enter.

Inside the entry way of the small, modest home, a dog barked loudly at Reid, making the man flinch.

“Sandy, no, no, no.” David said, a hand on the dog’s collar. He looked up at them and said, “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Hotch reassured him. “It’s what we call the Reid Effect. Happens with most children too.” Hotch gave a light chuckle and as David was moving the dog away from a tense Reid, Hotch introduced them. “I’m Special Agent Hotchner, this is Special Agent Dr. Potter and Special Agent Dr. Reid.”

“You look too young to have gone to medical school.” David commented to Reid and Sera.

“They’re PhD’s.” Reid said awkwardly. “Three of them.”

“What, are you a genius or something?” David asked him.

“I do not believe intelligence can be accurately quantified, but I _do_ have an IQ of 187, an eidetic memory and can read 20,000 words per minute.”

At David’s blank look, Reid said nodding, “Yes, I’m a genius.” He turned away and began looking around for clues to help with the profile.

“And you?” David asked, turning to Sera. “Are you a genius as well?”

“Not on Dr. Reid’s level, but I was accepted into medical school early.” Sera replied simply as Sandy barked. Hotch looked down at the dog.

“Sandy, you get a lot of attention, don’t you?” he asked, scratching behind the dogs’ ears.

“Yeah, Heather loves this dog.” David said softly. “I feed her when Heather’s away. Usually she’s fine, but… um lately, she won’t eat. It’s almost as if she can sense something’s wrong.”

“Not sense, smell.” Reid said, turning to look at them for a moment before walking to a cabinet that had magazines on top. “Our apocrine sweat gland releases secretions in response to emotional stress.”

“Sandy’s worried because she knows you are.” Hotch simplified for a baffled David.

David nodded in understanding.

“David, does your sister drive a Datsun Z?” Reid asked looking at a magazine, making the other three look at him.

“No, but she’s in the market for one.” David replied. “How’d you know?”

Reid held up a magazine, this one with a Datsun Z on the cover before putting it down and flipping through it. When Sandy barked again repeatedly, David took her out of the room and Sera and Hotch moved closer to Reid so that they could talk quietly without worrying the young man.

“There’s an immediate relationship established between a buyer and a seller,” Reid said quietly to them, closing the magazine. “a level of trust. If I want to coax a young woman into my car…” he trailed off leadingly.

“Offer her a test drive.” Hotch finished.

“I am officially never test driving a vehicle again.” Sera commented with a shudder, her hand on her bump.

“We should head back.” Hotch said as David returned.

“Thank you for your assistance.” Sera said to the young man.

“Please find her.” David pleaded when they were leaving the house. They just nodded in reply, knowing not to make promises they may not be able to deliver on.

Field Office

They returned to the Field Office and went to small room that was being used by the team. It wasn’t long before Morgan and Gideon joined them and they began tossing analysis and behaviors back and forth.

Morgan was pacing while Gideon stood in front of the transferred murder boards. Hotch and Reid sat across from each other at the table while Sera had removed her heels and was sitting on cross-legged on top of it.

“Okay, then how about the fact that on one hand, we have paranoid psychosis…” Morgan said, tossing a tennis ball up and catching it as he paced, while Reid was spinning around in his chair. “but the autopsy protocol says what?”

“Adhesive residue shows that he put layer after layer of duct tape over his victim’s eyes.” Reid recited, spinning in his chair.

“He knows he is going to kill them, but he still covers their eyes.” Morgan said.

“Apparently, it would seem he does not want them looking at him.” Sera commented, stretching her arms up as she shifted so her legs were hanging over the edge of the table and swinging them as she continued. “Then he takes the body and dumps it out in the open, where anyone can find it, with the murder weapon nearby.”

“Not the MO of a paranoid convinced he’s being watched or surveilled.” Reid stated.

“Paranoid psychosis, but behavior that’s not paranoid.” Morgan said.

They continued going back and forth, arguing about the contradictions in the behavioral patterns until Gideon spoke.

“All right, enough.” He said, turning to them. “Let’s tell ‘em we’re ready.”

“We’re ready?” Morgan asked incredulously as Gideon walked out of the room. Morgan looked between the closed door and Reid who was writing on a legal pad before asking the young genius, “Reid.” He stopped writing and looked up, “You’re good with this? We have a young woman who’s only got a few hours left to live, an incomplete profile, and a Unit Chief on the verge of a nervous breakdown.”

_“I’m with Morgan on thiss one.”_ Jade hissed from her perch on one of the chairs. _“That man issss a few friesss sssshort of a happy meal.”_

_“Jade, you do not know what a happy meal issss.”_ Sera hissed back as Gideon entered the room.

“They don’t call ‘em nervous breakdowns anymore.” He said, grabbed something off the table and leaving the room again.

“It’s called a Major Depressive Episode.” Reid supplied.

“I know, Reid.” Morgan said softly.

“Come on, let’s go.” Sera said, accepting Hotch’s outstretched hand while getting off the table and slipping her heels back on. Jade slithered off the chair and up to her usual place around Sera’s neck, before falling asleep.

She left the room, followed by her colleagues and they went to the larger conference room that was already filled with the taskforce members. Gideon was leaning on his hands against one of the tables and Sera stood against the wall next to Reid, Hotch and Morgan.

“The unidentified subject is white and in his late 20’s.” Gideon started, straightening his posture. “He’s someone you wouldn’t notice at first. He’s someone who’d blend into any crowd. The violent nature of the crime suggests a previous criminal record-petty crimes. Maybe auto theft.” Gideon shrugged lightly and continued. “We’ve classified him as an Organized Killer-careful. Psychopathic as opposed to psychotic. He follows the news, has good hygiene. He’s smart. ‘Cause he’s smart, the only physical evidence you’ll find is what he wants you to find. He’s mobile, car in good condition. Our guess-Jeep Cherokee, tinted windows. The murders have all involved rapes. But rape without penetration is a form of picquerism, and that tells us he’s sexually inadequate.” He looked at the faces of the agents. “Psychiatric evaluations will show a history of paranoia stemming from a childhood trauma-death of a parent or family member. And now, he feels persecuted and watched. Murder gives him a sense of power. Organized Killers have a fascination with law enforcement. They will inject themselves into the investigation. They will even come forward as witnesses to see just how much the police really know. That makes them feel powerful, in control. Which is why I also think… in fact, I know… you have already interviewed him.”

The agents were taking steady notes as they listened to Gideon speak.

XXXXXXXXXX

Several hours later, the team arrived at the Slessman’s residence after a successful sting op. Hotch, Gideon and Sera entered the house, Hotch immediately making his way upstairs while Gideon and Sera were joined by Reid.

“There’s no sign of the girl here.” Reid told them.

“So, we can arrest him for probable cause but we will be unable to hold him.” Sera added.

“Basically.” Reid confirmed. “Slessman’s been at the top of the suspect list.”

In the kitchen, there was an old lady sitting at the table with a few agents and a young woman carrying a toddler standing around the small room.

“Is that the mother?” Gideon asked, nodding his head towards the old lady.

“Grandmother.” Corrected a young brunette woman with shoulder-blade length hair and brown eyes. “The mother died in a fire when he was 13.”

Gideon nodded as he walked into another room, saying, “Probably not the only fire in his childhood.”

“Before his Son of Sam murders, David Berkowitz set a multitude of fires.” Reid remarked, passing by Morgan who was looking at files at the large table.

“Exactly how much is a multitude?” Morgan asked, joining them as they followed Gideon.

“According to his diary, one thousand, four hundred and…” Reid trailed off with a frown on his face.

“88.” The brunette agent filled in as they came to a stop while Gideon was bent over and looking at the framed photos on the coffee table.

“Luring him out was your idea, right?” Gideon asked, straightening up. “Greenaway?”

“Elle.” She corrected before answering, “I don’t send a SWAT team into a house with children.”

“Hotch says your background is in sex offender cases.” Gideon said. “What can you tell us?”

“The last four murders show he’s an anger-excitation rapist.” She replied. “He’ll keep a victim for a couple of days. He probably records or videotapes them so that he can keep reliving the fantasy.”

“You okay with Hotch being in on the interview?” Gideon asked.

“I’d like him to lead actually.” Elle replied before adding, “And if Dr. Potter could be there as well.”

Gideon looked at Sera who nodded her agreement and turned to Elle, “Fine, but hold off.”

At her questioning glance, Sera explained, “Mr. Slessman has done time, and as such, is aware of the process. All we will receive right now are demands for a lawyer.”

Elle nodded as Gideon turned and walked away, calling out, “Hotch, let’s check the garage, then you can show me what you got.”

“Next time, show a little leg.” Morgan said to Elle, receiving a smack on the arm from Sera as Gideon ducked back into the room and said, “Sera, you’re coming too.”

Sera sighed and nodded, following Gideon outside and being joined by Hotch a few seconds later. They went to the garage, Hotch opening the large door before stepping back as they saw what was inside.

“Well, we were correct about the Jeep.” Sera commented, standing between the two men.

“And wrong about everything else.” Gideon pointed out. “The bodies had defensive wounds.”

“And Richard doesn’t have a mark on him.” Hotch finished.

“We’re missing somethin’.” Gideon said, shaking his head.

“Yes, but what?” Sera asked, receiving no response from either of them.

Not having anything else to go on outside, the three went back inside the house and up to the attic were Reid was noting down his observations. A few minutes later, they were joined by Elle.

Walking towards Reid, Elle gestured to the board game that was set up, the black and white pieces set up in a complicated pattern.

“What kind of game is it?” she asked him.

“In China, it’s called ‘ _Wei-chi’_. Here, we call it ‘ _Go’_. It’s considered to be the most difficult board game ever conceived.” Reid replied.

“Chairman Mao required his generals to learn it.” Gideon said.

“It also looks like he’s playing himself.” Reid added, looking at the board.

“How can you tell?” Elle asked.

Reid gently span the board around as he said, “This might provide an advantage, actually. Go is considered to be a particularly psychologically revealing game. There are profiles for every player-the conservative point counter, the aggressor, the finesser.”

“What kind of player is Slessman?” Hotch asked.

Reid bent over and looked at the board for a few seconds before looking back at Hotch, Sera and Gideon.

“Extreme aggressor.” He replied.

“Sera, what if you tried reading his mind?” Elle asked, turning to the young witch.

“I cannot.” she replied regretfully. “I have never been able to master mind-reading, even though I have mastered shielding. If I were to try reading Mr. Slessman’s mind, if we are fortunate, I would only shatter it completely. _Before_ I could get anything out of him, so even attempting it would be pointless.” Sera left out the part about having a bond with Hotch due to them being soulmates, even if they were (or had been) married to different people and the bond currently being purely platonic due to said marriages.

“ _That’s_ lucky?” Elle exclaimed incredulously.

Sera nodded in response, making Elle shudder slightly.

“I will try and see if I am able to get anything from here.” Sera said, wiggling her fingers in explanation.

Gideon nodded as he turned to leave, followed by Reid and Elle.

“I’ll keep watch and let you know if anyone comes.” Hotch said to her, receiving a nod in reply as her hands began to glow. The trio left the attic, while Hotch stood by the stairs with Jade curled around his collar, giving the younger woman room to work.

She began quietly chanting, her eyes closed as she turned slowly in her spot before walking around, her hands hovering over various objects and items that were around the attic. She was trying to gain a feeling of the emotions that surrounded the small room, hoping that the emotional remnants would give them a further insight into the mind of their unsub. Finally, after several minutes, she stopped and turned to her friend, the glow receding from her hands.

“Anything?”

She shook her head regretfully. “No, nothing we did not already know.”

_“I could’ve told you that.”_ Jade hissed, still curled around Hotch’s collar.

Sera rolled her eyes in response, ignoring the snake. Hotch gave her a small smile and nodded his head towards the stairs. “Come on, let’s head back down.”

She nodded and they went down together, just in time to see Gideon leave one of the rooms with a book in hand. Hotch followed him, while Sera went inside the room. Inside, she saw Morgan sitting at a table with a laptop on it and Elle standing to the side with Reid.

“Hey,” Elle said when she saw her, “would you be able to crack the code on this laptop?”

“No, magic wouldn’t help with hacking. You would need someone who knows what they are doing. You may want to try with Penelope, she may know how to get passed the locks.” As she spoke, she leant back against the wall. Morgan nodded as Sera straightened up, swaying slightly and being caught by Morgan.

“You all right?” he asked, looking at her worriedly.

“Yes.” She replied, giving him a soft smile as he steadied her. “Just tired. It has been a long month. I am going to go outside and get some fresh air.”

Morgan kissed her forehead and nodded, watching her as she left the room. Going downstairs, she passed Hotch in the hallway before going outside to the cool night air.

She leaned against the wall, her head tilted back and eyes closed as she breathed in the night air. She could feel the wards and the magic that made the mystical seem ordinary. The wards had been cast after the Salem Witch Trials ended in 1693, the International Confederation wanting to make sure that nothing of the sort could occur again. They consulted with Warders and Goblins, along with several magical creature representatives, and came up with a series of wards that would be cast, allowing those that were unaware of magic be unable to notice it, unless told, willingly and without coercion, of the existence of magic. What the Confederation and the Warders had not realized or anticipated was that the wards would take on a life of their own, going so far as to being Named by children as Mist for the form the magic would take when they see it. Children, whether magical or not, were the only ones who cold see it due to their purity and innocence, though if the child is non-magical, they will most likely lose the ability to see the Mist as they get older and begin believing it to be nothing more than fairytale.

She opened her eyes with a sigh and was about to head back inside when she saw Hotch and Gideon talking by the back door. Walking over to them, she stopped and asked, “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah.” Gideon replied, a small smirk on his face. “There’s a second killer.”

“That would explain why I was unable to get any new information from the attic when I tried to get a read.” Sera said, nodding her head.

“Let’s go.” Hotch said.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sera, Hotch, and Gideon were with Elle, walking down the stairs of the Field Office, as they filled her in about Gideon’s theory. Jade had transferred back to Sera’s neck, wide awake and hissing her comments once in a while, only to be ignored by the humans.

“A second unsub?” Elle asked.

“It’s not unusual.” Gideon said. “Remember Lawrence Bittaker and Roy Norris?”

“1979. They outfitted a van to rape and murder girls in California.” Elle replied before asking, “So, we’re looking for someone who fits a similar relationship?”

“No. They’re not equals.” Gideon replied. “Slessman’s smart, but he is a submissive personality.”

“So number 2 is the dominant.” Elle concluded.

“Authoritative, arrogant.” Gideon supplied.

“Probably not as smart as Slessman.” Hotch added.

“He is akin to the school-yard bully recruiting a good underling - he will be protective of Mr. Slessman.” Sera said. “He will make Mr. Slessman believe he owes him.”

“If Richard’s up in the attic fantasizing about being an extreme aggressor, this guy showed him how to do it.” Hotch said as they reached the bottom of the stairs and began walking down the hall.

“He helped him take the first step.” Gideon remarked.

“I think we should interview him,” Elle suggested, making Gideon stop and turn to her, “use this as pressure.”

“No, no. We need leverage.” Gideon said. “A name.”

Elle was about to speak when Sera’s face took on a green tinge and she ran to the nearest bathroom, a hand on her mouth, pausing only long enough for Jade to slither off her and onto Hotch. Sera proceeded to spend the next twenty minutes throwing up everything she had eaten that day. After the last dry heave, she flushed the toilet and went to wash her mouth and hands, and freshen up.

Walking out of the bathroom, she went towards the lounge to get some tea when she saw Hotch talking to Mrs. Slessman. When he glanced at her with a concerned look, she gave him a small smile.

_“I’m all right.”_ She mentally told him, receiving a nod in response before turning back to Mrs. Slessman and listening to what she was saying. With her tea ready, she joined Elle and Gideon in a small room to the side that had video screens taping and recording the conversation happening in the lounge.

“You alright?” Gideon asked her, glancing up briefly at her.

She nodded with a smile, turning to the screen.

“We’re trying to see if Mrs. Slessman can give us any clues to who the second unsub might be so we can narrow down our suspect pool.” Elle told her.

She nodded and they turned back to the screen.

_“Well, there was… there was this one young man.”_ Mrs. Slessman was saying. _“I think his name was Charlie.”_

“Cross-reference Charlie for the second unsub.” Gideon said.

Sera typed in a few commands into the keyboard, pulling up the only match.

“Charlie is probably Charles Linder.” She said, pointing to the screen. “He was Mr. Slessman’s cellmate and received a dishonorable discharge from the military.”

“He’s bigger, tougher. He could’ve protected Richard in prison.” Gideon said. “Where were they incarcerated?”

“Cascadia.” Elle replied as Sera sat down. “Less than a mile from here.”

“Let’s go.” Gideon said, turning to leave before pausing and looking back at Sera. “You’re staying here.”

Sera sighed and nodded. They had been like this since she announced her pregnancy, always trying to keep the risk to her as minimal as possible given their jobs.

The two left, leaving Sera in the room. Taking out her phone, she called Reid.

_“Hello?”_

“Hey Spencer, Gideon and Elle are on their way to Cascadia. Can you get an address on one Charles Linder for them?”

_“Sure.”_

“Okay, thank you. Bye.”

_“Bye.”_

Ending her call, she looked out the window and saw Hotch still sitting with Mrs. Slessman. With a smile, she went and joined her colleague with the elderly lady.

“Here, let me take that for you.” Sera said to her, seeing the older woman look around for a place to put her now empty cup.

“Oh, thank you, dear.” She said as she handed the mug over. Sera took it and put it in the bucket that had other dirty cups in it, before going back and standing beside Hotch, a hand on her bump.

“Everything okay?” he asked her.

“Yes. Jason and Elle have gone to pursue a lead and Spencer is creating a list consisting of a few addresses for them before going to help Derek.” She replied, telepathically saying, _“Elle and Jason have gone to Cascadia where Charles Linder and Richard Slessman were cellmates, while Spencer is checking for a last known address on the former.”_

Hotch nodded in response to both replies, turning back to the old woman. He stood up, helping the old woman to her feet as he said, “Well, Mrs. Slessman, thank you for your help.”

“Oh, you’re welcome dear.” She replied as they began walking towards the doors.

“These two agents will take you back home.” Sera said, gesturing to the agents that were standing nearby.

“This way, Ma’am.” One said, holding out his arm for her to take. She took it, and with one last wave, they left.

Hotch and Sera went to the elevator, taking it up a few floors to the bullpen they were working out of.

“We get an address on Linder?” Hotch asked Reid as they walked in.

“It’s coming right now.” Reid replied, standing next to the fax machine and waiting for the paper to come through. Sera came to a stop next to him while Hotch walked passed and placed a file on another agent’s desk. He turned to Reid when the younger agent asked, “Does senior management want a field assessment on Gideon?”

Hotch sighed and came to stand right in front of him.

“Don’t worry about it, okay.” Hotch said.

“Are they nervous about him being in charge?” Reid pressed.

“Aren’t you on your way back to Slessman’s house to help Morgan?” Hotch asked pointedly, before walking away.

“Do you know why always introduces us as Dr. Reid and Dr. Potter?” Reid asked after a moment, making Hotch turn back. Sera looked up at him.

“Because he knows that people see us as kids.” Sera replied.

“And he wants to make sure they respect you both.” Hotch added.

Reid nodded in understanding.

“What’s the address?” Hotch asked, gesturing to the paper that just came through.

Reid took it and they looked at it before exchanging looks.

“Don’t think it matters anymore.” Reid commented.

“No, it does not.” Sera said, sighing.

The report clearly stated that Linder had died in a car accident 2 months prior. Hotch took out his phone and called Elle, letting her and Gideon know about what they had found, while Reid left the building, heading back to the Slessman residence. Sera went to the Observation Booth next to the Interrogation Room that Richard Slessman was in.

Sera watched the unsub through the one-way glass. He was sitting calmly, a small smirk on his face. A few minutes later, Hotch came inside and lowered the room temperature.

_“Gideon found our leverage. His name is Timothy Vogel.”_ Hotch said mentally at Sera. She nodded in understanding as one of the agents asked his superior what Hotch was doing and receiving a response of how the cold puts the suspects on edge.

“Okay,” Hotch said, turning to the three of them. “so, I want an SPD, and I want a Seattle Field Agent in the room with Dr. Potter and myself. I want him to see we’ve got every department working on this.” He received nods from the two Seattle agents. “And I need some file boxes. Fill them, I don’t care if the paper’s blank.” He walked to the door and turned back. “And I want you to write the name on the sides.” Hotch turned and walked down the hall.

“Whose name?” the agent asked, looking at Sera, who smiled and gave them the name.

The agent nodded and led her to a storage room where they could get to work. They got several boxes and filled them with paper, labeling them clearly on the sides. Ten minutes later, Hotch entered the interrogation room, followed by Sera, a Seattle Field Agent, and an SPD.

“4 months of investigative work, 1 file,” Hotch said, putting the box he was carrying on the table across from Slessman, “and guess what, Richard.” Sera, the local agent and the SPD stacked their boxes next to Hotch before taking a step back, letting Hotch take the lead. “It’s not your file. See, we don’t care about you.” Hotch shoved his box toward Slessman, who stopped it with his cuffed hands and looked at the name on the label.

TIMOTHY VOGEL

As Slessman looked at the label, his face took on a slightly worried look.

“It’s Vogel we want.” Hotch continued.

Slessman looked up at him, not saying a word. His expression went back to calm smugness.

“We found out that Heather was buying a used car.” Sera said, leaning against the wall. “Do you know how car salesmen get us to purchase a car?”

Slessman leaned back in his chair and shrugged, raising an eyebrow.

“They call it reciprocity.” Hotch said, walking around the room as he spoke. “They drop the price, feels like they’ve done us a favor. We feel obligated.” He paused for a moment, crossing his arms over his chest as he moved around, Slessman’s eyes following him. “There’s a sudden pressure to reciprocate this one little favor. And it’s so powerful that we’ll…put a deposit down on a car we’re not even sure we really want.”

“So what?” Slessman asked, shrugging.

“So, Mr. Vogel did you a favor.” Sera replied, pushing herself off the wall and moving to perch on the table beside Slessman. “He protected you in prison, and now you feel like you owe him and you need to protect him.”

“Guys like Vogel learn in the schoolyard which kids to bully and which kids to protect,” Hotch said, coming to perch on Slessman’s other side, “and he’s got you convinced that you owe him so much that you’ll go to jail for him. Richard,” Hotch paused for a moment, leaning slightly so Slessman can look at him before continuing, “I’m here to remind you of something. You owe him nothing.”

Slessman just looked at him and smirked.

_“This is getting us nowhere.”_ Sera thought to Hotch.

_“Tell me about it.”_ He said in response, his outward appearance giving no indication of the mental conversation between the two agents.

Sera stood and went out into the hallway, followed by Hotch. She turned to him as he closed the door behind them.

They walked in silence towards the bullpen when Hotch’s phone rang. He answered it with a curt, “Hotchner.” He paused for a moment before saying, “Hold on, I’m putting you on speaker. Sera’s with me.” he held his phone out, pressing a few buttons before Gideon’s voice came through.

_“He’s gonna kill her. He’s heading there now. We need a location.”_

“I don’t have enough time to get it out of him.” Hotch replied.

_“Find something you two or that girl’s dead.”_ With that, Gideon hung up the phone.

Hotch and Sera looked at each other helplessly. Sera took out her phone and called Morgan.

“Derek, it’s Sera.” She said the moment he answered the phone. “Do you have anything you can give us? Jason just called and said that Mr. Volger is on his way to dump the body. Is there anything you can give us to use against Mr. Slessman?”

_“We were just about to call you. She’s on a boat.”_ Morgan replied.

“Where?” Hotch asked, taking the phone and walking back through the hallways towards the interrogation room.

_“It’s a pier or a dock. He wouldn’t be able to transmit the webcam image from the middle of the ocean.”_ Morgan replied.

“You are certain of this?” Sera asked.

_“It’s the best we got, you guys. Even if we’re right, getting the exact location’s on you and Sera, my friend.”_

“What is it you always ask Garcia?” Hotch asked.

_“To work me a little magic.”_ Morgan’s smile could be heard through his tone right before they cut the line.

Hotch opened the door of the room and walked in, Sera beside him.

“Just to let you know…” Hotch said, “Gideon’s talking to Vogel…and Vogel’s nailing you to the wall.”

“Yeah, whatever.” Slessman replied, shrugging

Sera walked towards the wall and turned around to face Slessman.

“He said it was your idea to keep the girls on a boat.” She said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Slessman blinked, his eyes shifting.

“He’s talking, Richard.” Hotch said, walking behind him. “Reciprocity. Tell us where she is and we’ll make a deal. Is it a dock?”

“A pier?” Sera asked.

Slessman was quiet for a moment before speaking. “It’s a shipyard. Allied shipyard.”

“Thank you.” Hotch said and turned to Sera. “Let’s go. They are going to need back up.”

Sera nodded and the two went down to the SUV. As they were driving to the shipyard, Sera called Reid and told him what was happening.

_“Hurry. He’s inside, and Elle says that there isn’t time to wait for back up.”_

Hotch swore, pressed on the gas and turned on the lights, speeding down the dark roads until they reached the shipyard. Getting out, guns drawn, they quickly and carefully made their way through the yard, followed by other agents. The EMT’s held back, waiting for the okay to proceed. They saw Elle kneeling next to Heather, and Gideon slumped next to a pole.

“We got him.” Elle said, gesturing with her head to the dead body on the ground a few feet away. “But Gideon got shot in the arm before Vogel went down.”

“What?!” Sera exclaimed, holstering her gun and looking at the woman in shock as an agent went back and informed the EMT’s that they could come. Seconds later, they swarmed around the young woman, checking her vitals and getting her hooked up to an IV pole.

Sera went to Gideon and removed his jacket and looked at the wound through the shirt. It wasn’t very deep and the bullet had gone straight through the flesh.

“I am going to have to cut the sleeve off, but I can stitch it back later if you want.” She told him and receiving a nod. She turned to Hotch and asked, “Can you get me a med-kit from one of the EMT’s please?”

He nodded and did as asked. Slowly, she cleaned the wound, applied antiseptic and wrapped it with a little magic weaved into the gauze to speed up the healing.  She took the sleeve and folded it, before giving it to Hotch to put in his coat pocket so they could take back. She fully intended to repair the shirt once they got onto the plane.

By that time, the sun was fully up and Morgan and Reid had joined them at the yard. Morgan was sitting on a drum with Hotch standing next to him, arms crossed over his chest. Sera stood up and stretched, walking over to them as Gideon went to Heather, who was strapped to a gurney and covered with a blanket.

“So, what kind of report do they want on him?” Morgan asked Hotch, watching Gideon with Heather.

“I suppose whether he’s fit to be a field agent.” Hotch replied.  “You know, Hayley and I were looking at a baby name’s book. Guess what Gideon means in Hebrew.”

“Mighty warrior.” Reid replied, walking over and coming to a stop next to Hotch. The young genius was wearing his FBI jacket and had his hands in his pockets. Hotch looked at him with a smile as he walked away, saying, “Appropriate.”

“Absolutely.” Sera said. “Remember the Weasley’s?” At Morgan and Hotch’s nods, she continued, “They had an uncle named Gideon. He was their mother’s brother. Him and his twin, Fabian, died just before Ron was born. They took down all fifteen of the Death Eaters that had attacked them.”

“Wow.” Morgan said, shaking his head in amazement. It never failed to amaze him just how much horror the 25-year-old in front of him had seen, her and her loved ones, and still manage to have a radiant smile ready on her lips for those that need it.

“So, in regard to Derek’s earlier question, what are you going to tell Senior Management?” Sera asked, changing the subject.

“What would you both say?”

Morgan and Sera both paused, looking out at the water briefly before turning to Hotch.

“Gideon saved her life.” Morgan replied simply. “That’s good enough for me.” He stood up and walked away.

“Me, too.” Sera said.

_“Meee, tooo.”_ Jade hissed from around Sera’s neck. Sera rolled her eyes in response, not bothering to translate as Hotch already understood what the snake was saying.

“Okay.” Hotch said, chuckling as Sera walked away.

XXXXXXXXXX

Once the EMT’s took Heather away, as well as the body of Timothy Vogel, the rest of the agents headed back to the Field Office. The local agents thanked the BAU team as they packed up their belongings, Sera making sure any and all mystical items were put in a specially warded bag that made it look like ordinary odds and ends, and headed to the airport. Reaching the landing strip by the jet, the agents thanked them once again before leaving.

Getting on the plane, Jade slithered off Sera’s neck and curled up on a seat, the Chameleon spell being removed. Sera went straight to the bathroom for another round of puking.

She got out of the bathroom to see that Elle and Reid were sprawled across two seats each and were fast asleep, with Morgan nodding off in his seat across from Reid. Sera smiled and conjured blankets to cover the three of them as they slept. She picked up the files that were falling out of Morgan’s limp hands, shushing the man as he stirred, and placing them neatly on the seat next to him.

Taking out her phone, she dialed the number for her house.

_“Marauder Manor.”_ Came a child’s voice from the other end.

“Hi Teddy, it’s Mummy.” Sera said, a smile on her face at the sound of her son’s voice.

_“Hi Mummy.”_ Ajay squealed happily before screaming loudly that she was on the phone. She could hear the sound of running footsteps even through the phone. “ _Are you coming home, Mummy?_ ”

“Yes, my darling. I’m coming home.” Her response was met with excited squeals.

“ _Hey Sera._ ” Came Hermione’s voice. “ _By the squealing, am I to assume you’re coming home?_ ”

“Yes. We will be landing in a few hours, before coming home. I’m going to write up my report from home. I’ll call when we land so that you can apparate over and pick me up from the building.”

“ _Alright. See you in a few hours._ ” There was a pause before she heard her three children. “ _Bye, Mummy. See you soon.”_

“Bye darlings.” With that, she hung up the phone and put it away.

She picked up the shirt that Gideon had given her when they returned to the Field Office and the sleeve, waving her wand and reattaching the two pieces neatly and seamlessly, making it good as new. She folded the shirt and handed it to Gideon, who took it with a smile as she moved a sleeping Jade to the bench and curling up on the seat.

A few minutes later, Hotch came and sat in the seat in front of her, asking, “How are you holding up?” at her confused frown, he elaborated, “New Orleans, Raj and the Katrina victims?”

“Honestly, those days I spent cremating and boxing up the victims’ ashes, one after the other, felt like I was back in the aftermath of the Final Battle. Only this time, the disaster was natural.” She fell silent, looking out the window at the dark sky and leaning her head back against the headrest. “I miss him.” Her eyes filled with tears, falling from her thick lashes and down her pale cheeks. “He was the first one I cremated before I began aiding the Medical Examiner.”

Hotch moved to sit in the seat next to her and put his arm around her, holding her close as she softly sobbed for her deceased husband. He rubbed her back, letting her cry until she fell asleep. He covered her with a blanket, before leaning back in his seat, his arms still around her, and closing his eyes. He fell asleep within minutes, the exhaustion of the past few days catching up with him.

Sera and Hotch were shaken awake by Gideon several hours later, when they were about to begin their final descent. Sera sat up straight and buckled her seatbelt, absently noticing the rest sleepily doing the same.

Ten minutes later, they landed smoothly and exited the plane to see the mid-afternoon sun high in the sky. As she promised Hermione, Sera called home after they got into the two cars that were waiting for them and headed to the FBI building’s parking garage to grab their own vehicles.

At the FBI building, Draco was waiting for her, so with final goodbyes to each other, they went their separate ways. The drive back to the manor was quiet, the silence only being broken by the music that was playing.

Opening the front door of her home, Sera heard the sounds of her family around the house. The Weasley twins were bickering with Hermione in the lounge, while the kids were in the kitchen doing their homework at the island while Astoria was cooking with Kreacher. With a smile, she went to the kitchen, wanting to see her children first, followed by Draco who wanted to see his wife.

As soon as they saw her, the three boys dropped their pencils and jumped off the stools, running to her. She knelt down and hugged them tightly, listening as they chattered on about their day and anything and everything she missed.

She listened with half an ear as she turned to Astoria, “hey, how are you?”

“Good. How was the case?” Astoria asked.

“We saved the girl.” Sera replied simply with a smile as the rest of the family came into the kitchen. There was a round of hugs and kisses, as well as questions on how the case went, to which she gave the same reply as before.

She never really talked about the cases they had, simply saying if they were able to save the people or not. However, if she needed to talk, she did, having long since learned that bottling things up was detrimental to her ability to do her job. The added fact that they all had clearance to know about her job was an added bonus.

Once they had all seen that she was alright, they went back to doing their own thing. Draco and Daphne went to the Potions Lab, Hermione went to her study, Ron, Luna, Ginny, Angelina and Katie went outside, while the twins went to their own lab. Sera sat with the kids at the table and began writing up her report while the kids resumed their own work and Astoria returned to cooking.

The evening passed in routine manner and once dinner was eaten and the dishes cleared away, the large family settled in the cinema room and settled down to watch a movie before going to bed.


	2. Compulsion

** Chapter 2: Compulsion **

_Notes: I am on the fence regarding the Opening and Ending quotes. Does anyone want me to include them with the chapters?_

_Links are posted at the end of the chapter. Anything that has a corresponding link to it will be marked with a star (*) and the link will be labeled. I have gotten some reviews on other stories that having the links within the paragraphs tended to disrupt the flow of the story. If you look at the links that are posted and find this to be a better alternative, please let me know._

FBI Office – Quantico, Virginia

Sera was sitting on a padded-back chair beside Morgan’s desk in the Behavioral Analysis Unit’s bullpen, with Jade curled up on the floor by her feet. Morgan was lounging in his desk chair, reading a newspaper while Reid was staring at a chess board, contemplating his next move. Sera was leaning back in the chair, eyes closed behind her rectangle black wire-framed glasses, as she held a pair of headphones to her 21-week baby bump, playing classical music through a CD Player. The tiny witch was wearing a light pink floor-length long-sleeved medieval dress, the bodice laced on either side of her body*, stretched gently over her slight baby bump, with a belt tied around her hips that had her dagger and gun holster strapped to it. Her wands were tucked into her arm holsters, covered by her long sleeves. She had matching light pink 4” heeled pumps on her tiny feet, with her red Gryffindor House class ring on her right ring finger, her wedding necklace around her neck, a silver diamond studded Fossil bracelet watch* on her left wrist and wedding rings on her left ring finger. Her hair was pulled in her usual 5-strand French-braid with the fringe tucked behind one ear.

Gideon left his office, where he had been talking to a few trainees about his recent encounter with the Foot-Path Killer, and came down the steps to the bullpen. He paused briefly at Reid’s desk and moved a white piece, saying to Reid, “Check. Checkmate in 3 moves.” He walked away.

Reid looked up at his mentor and back down at the board, confusion all over his face as he said, “What…”

Morgan tossed the paper he was reading aside and said to Reid, “You know, you’ll beat him when you start learning.”

“Learning what?” Reid asked, still confused as he looked at the senior agent.

“To think outside the box.” Sera replied, opening her eyes and sitting up straight, looking at Reid.

“And you do?” Reid asked, turning to the young witch. “Think outside the box, I mean.”

“Of course.” Sera replied, smiling brightly. “I’m a witch. Thinking outside the box is what helps me bend and break the laws of physics on a regular basis.”

“Question for you.” Elle said, walking along the upper-level of the bullpen, the mezzanine, which housed the personal offices of some of the senior Agents.

“Shoot.” Morgan said, lounging in his chair and looking at her.

“The Foot-Path Killer,” she said, walking down the steps and coming towards them, “why did he stutter?”

“Come on, Elle.” Morgan sighed. “We’ve all asked him, and he won’t say. He wants us to figure it out.”

“Okay,” Elle replied, coming to a stop at her desk and looking at them with a smile. “I’m up for a challenge.”

“Good.” JJ said, walking towards them with a stack of files in her arms. “Because these” she dropped the stack on Elle’s desk “go to you.” She held out her hand to the brunette, “Special Agent Jennifer Jareau. JJ if you like.”

“Elle.” Replied the brunette as she shook the blonde’s hand, a slightly taken aback expression on her face.

“Greenaway.” JJ finished, as they dropped their hands to the sides. “Highest number of solved cases in Seattle 3 years running, specialty in sex offender cases.”

Elle glanced at Morgan, Reid and Sera before turning back to JJ, saying, “Not bad.”

“Well, I’m the Unit Liaison.” JJ said as she walked away, raising her voice slightly the further away she got. “My specialty is untangling bureaucratic knots.” She reached the steps and began climbing as she continued, “You’ll probably be talking to me a lot. My door is always open.”

“Mostly because she is never _in_ her office.” Sera piped up with a smile.

“Kinda like you, Ms. Unit-Chief’s-Second-in-Command-With-Her-Own-Office.” Morgan said pointedly to the witch, smiling. Sera just stuck her tongue out at him in response.

“Pretty much,” JJ shrugged as she reached the top of the stairs, “so just call me on my cell, kay. We’ll talk.”

Elle nodded as JJ met with Hotch on the mezzanine and spoke quietly with him as the senior agent passed by her.

“BAU team, can you meet me in the conference room, please?” Hotch asked them, not breaking his stride. “I need to show you something.”

The team stopped what they were doing and, exchanging looks and shrugs, went to the briefing room as requested, taking seats around the round table.

“This is from the Phoenix office, Bradshaw College in Tempe, 6 fires in 7 months.” Hotch informed them.

“Who recorded it?” Gideon asked, looking through the file that was in front of him.

“A student with a digital camcorder.” JJ replied. “He was watching a fire in the building across from their dorm. The other person you’ll see is his roommate, 20-year-old Matthew Rowland.” JJ took the remote and pressed play and they turned to watch the video that was on the screen behind Hotch.

It started fairly simply, a fire in the building across from them being recorded. The boys sounding excited.

 “Is that the kid?” Gideon asked, referring to the boy that appeared in front of the camera a few seconds after it started.

“Yeah, that’s him.” Hotch replied.

After that, it changed. One of the boys, the victim, noticed something under their door and went to check it out. As soon as he reached the door and knelt, he noticed something pouring in through the small gap between the door and the ground. He commented that it smelled like glass right before a burst of flame came in through the gap and engulfed him. His pain-filled screams echoed as the recording was cut off while the roommate tried to put the fire out.

“I will prep the jet.” Sera said, speaking up and breaking the momentary silence that had lapsed after the recording cut as she took out her phone.

“Okay.” Hotch said briskly, standing up. “Wheels up in 15.”

Sera nodded and with that, they all dispersed, grabbing their go bags and making their way to the garage.

XXXXXXXXXXX

On the plane, once they were in the air, Morgan took out his laptop and opened a calendar spreadsheet, while Reid set up his chessboard.

 “There are 2 common stressors for a serial arsonist.” Reid said.

“Loss of job, loss of love.” Elle replied, sitting across the table from the young genius.

“When was the first fire set?” Morgan asked.

“March.” Hotch read from the file, sitting on the single across the aisle from Morgan. “Uh, the next one was in May, and the third one wasn't till September, then 2 weeks later there were 3 in one night.”

Morgan made highlights in the calendar as Gideon spoke up.

“He’s speeding up. Fires are closer together.” He was sitting on a single seat across the table from Hotch.

“Hey, Reid.” Morgan called, “You got a statistics on arsonists?”

“82% are typically white males between the ages of 17 and 27.” Reid replied promptly, not looking up from his chess board. “Female arsonists are less likely, their motive typically being revenge.”

“Sounds like our boy’s a student.” Morgan commented.

“Don’t be so sure.” Gideon said, glancing at the man.

“Rely too much on precedent, you never allow for the unexpected.” Sera commented, sitting on the double seat in front of Morgan, facing Hotch and Gideon. Jade was curled around her collar.

“If he went from setting one fire to 3 in 2 weeks' time…” Gideon started.

“Rapid escalation.” Hotch said.

“He's gone from the power to damage a building to something far more satisfying.” Gideon continued before shaking his head and finishing, “The power over life and death.” He paused for a moment before asking, “Who are we talking to first?”

“Dean of Students, Ellen Turner.” Sera replied.

XXXXXXXXXX

Bradshaw College - Tempe, Arizona

The team saw students milling around the campus as the two black SUV’s came to a stop at the main entrance. Elle, Morgan and Gideon in one while Hotch, Sera and Reid in the other.

 “No badges.” Gideon said as they got out of the cars at the front of the building. “I don’t want to satisfy the Unsub’s need for attention by letting him now the FBI’s here. Try not to look official.” As he was walking down the stairs, he glanced back at them and corrected himself as he went through the doors, “Try to look less official.”

 “I see his point.” Sera commented as the five of them looked at each other.

She gestured to the suits that Hotch, Morgan and Elle were wearing, complete with the dark sunglasses and serious expressions. Reid would probably be able to blend in, with the short-sleeved plaid shirt and plain trousers he was wearing and looking very much like a teacher’s aide while she looked like she came from a Medieval Times convention dressed as she was in a medieval dress with the camouflaged snake around her neck.

“Let’s go.” Morgan muttered.

Sera giggled at the put out look on his face as they went inside the building and quickly caught up with Gideon.

XXXXXXXXXX

“Obviously, I'd rather be meeting you under different circumstances.” The Dean was saying as they walked across the campus. Her, Hotch and Gideon were leading the group. “This is Fire Inspector Zhang.” She gestured to the man that was behind her, walking next to Elle and Sera. Reid and Morgan were bringing up the rear.

“This morning, the chemistry department reported several bottles of highly flammable chemicals missing.” Zhang informed them.

“I’m prepared to evacuate the campus.” The Dean said. “Thank you.” She added as Hotch and Gideon opened the double doors in front of her.

 “That brings with it its own problems.” Hotch said.

“You might evacuate the arsonist as well.” Gideon explained.

“Then the case goes unsolved, the campus is reopened and the fires resume once more.” Sera continued.

“Wait. Hotch, Gideon, Sera, hold on a second.” Morgan called, making them all stop talking and turn to him. “You said the chemicals were missing today.” He looked at the Fire Inspector who nodded and Morgan turned to them and explained, “It says here that one of the previous fires was set with diesel fuel that disappeared from the grounds keeping facility.” He turned to the Dean and the Fire Inspector and asked, “How long after it went missing that the fire was set?”

“One day,” the Dean replied, letting out a deep sigh.

Gideon and Hotch exchanged looks and walked away, talking quietly among themselves, while the rest of the team thought the same thing; If he’s holding to a pattern, who’s to say that the next fire won’t be that day? Or before the end of the next?

XXXXXXXXXX

Reid and Hotch returned to the command center from the crime scene as Inspector Zhang stood next to Elle and put a box on the table. “He turned the fire off just before the fire started.” He said, opening it to reveal burnt objects. “The last 3 were set with these. 2 devices, simultaneous ignition.”

Elle looked in the box as the Inspector looked at Gideon who was perched on the table.

“There was no device used on Mathew Rowland.” Gideon said, standing up. “Unsub set that one manually?” The Inspector nodded as Hotch looked on, standing between Reid and Elle.

“He wanted to be there to enjoy the kid’s death.” Morgan commented, standing behind Gideon and the Inspector.

“Not necessarily.” Sera refuted, sitting on the table.

“Well, if the target was Matthew Rowland, why set the other two fires?” Elle asked.

“Motives for arson are relatively simple.” Reid replied, “There’s vandalism, crime concealment, political statement, profit and revenge.”

“We interviewed Matthew Rowland’s roommate.” The inspector said, “He said Matthew was very well-liked. No reason for revenge.”

“What about vandalism?” The Dean asked, having been silent until then.

“No. The fires are much too sophisticated.” Sera replied, looking at the other woman from her spot on the table. “And if he is attempting to make a political statement, he’s not being very clear about it.”

“There’s an underlying strategy in this case.” Gideon said. “Matthew, firefighters, injured victims. To the unsub, they’re not people. They’re…” Gideon trailed off, trying to find the right word.

“They’re objects.” Hotch suggested.

“More like,” Gideon said.

“Uh…chess pieces.” Reid said looking at the box before looking up at Gideon.

Gideon looked at him for a moment, picking up one of the burnt ignition devices, before saying, “Exactly.” He tossed the device back into the box.

“I’m gonna go to the dorms,” Derek said, “see how the unsub would do it.”

Gideon nodded and Morgan left after getting directions from the Dean. Gideon went with the Dean to set up a school-wide hotline for any possible witnesses to come forward while Elle, Reid and Sera stayed in the office, running through possible scenarios. Reid and Elle sat across from each other at the table, while Sera stayed where she was on top of it with a packet of crisps.

“The timer sets the road flare,” Elle said, taking a sip from her coffee, “which then lights the chemical mixture inside the canister. Simple.” She took another sip.

“Yet sophisticated in its simplicity.” Reid said, shaking his head. “I mean, there's a meticulous construction to it.”

“Chemical accelerant could mean chemistry student.” Elle said as she stood up with her coffee mug and walks away from them, toward the bank of monitors they have set up.

“It may possibly mean a chemistry professor.” Sera pointed out.

“Mmm, I say student.” Elle refuted, turning to them and putting her mug down on the table as she explained her reasoning, “You need self-confidence to lecture in front of a classroom full of 30 college kids. Arsonists are socially incompetent.” Reid nodded as she spoke, examining the electronic devise in his hand as she continued, “This guy doesn't go on dates. He doesn't go to parties. He doesn't feel comfortable in front of groups.” Reid looked up at Elle, who looked back at him before hastily adding, “And, of course, he's a total psychopath.”

“Course.” Reid agreed, nodding.

Elle paused for a moment before leaving the room, followed by Sera. Jade stayed with Reid, curling around the young genius’ collar. Elle went towards the dormitories to meet up with Morgan while Sera went to the bathroom to deal with another round of nausea caused by her pregnancy. She had just left the bathroom when she heard the fire alarm sound and ran out of the building with the rest of the students. In front of her were Morgan and Elle.

Morgan ran inside the burning building while Elle pulled Sera back before the pregnant woman could get too close. The two women, pushing their own emotions aside, began herding the frightened and confused students away from the blaze. The scream of sirens heralded the arrival of the police on the scene. Hotch and Reid, with Jade still around the younger agent’s neck, ran up to them from opposite directions, coming to a stop in front of the two female agents.

“What happened?” Hotch asked, looking Sera over for any visible signs of injury or burns.

“I am not certain.” Sera replied, looking up at her soulmate. “I heard the fire alarm and ran out with the rest of the students and saw Derek run inside the building.” She paused for a moment before putting a hand on his arm in alarm. “Aaron, Jason was in that building with Dean Turner. Someone is dead, I don’t know for certain who.”

As she finished speaking the ambulance pulled up to the front of the building and Reid cried out, pointing to the stairwell.

“Look, it’s Morgan and Gideon.”

The three looked up as well and saw that Derek was manhandling Gideon out of the building, forcibly bringing him down the stairs. Sera breathed a sigh of relief, sagging slightly against Hotch as he held the Mistress of Death up.

Sera was the Mistress of Death, meaning that she could feel when a person dies. She cannot stop death, nor can she change the outcome of a person’s fate if it was their time, but she could talk with Death. Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to talk to the spirits of those that died nor could Death help her in their investigations, which was often something that irritated the young woman. Thankfully, for Death at least, Hotch would often be able to calm the young woman down when she began to get irritated at not being able to make use of the vast supernatural resources at her disposal (mostly as it would not be admissible in a court of law, since they could hardly say that ‘Death told them’ or ‘the deceased person’s spirit told them'). Another unfortunate aspect was feeling the pain of those that died as Death takes their souls. As always, Hotch was the one who would help her channel the pain, much to her eternal gratitude.

The two male agents reached one of the landings when Gideon shoved Morgan back and turned, yelling at him. Morgan yelled back, holding the older man in place. As Gideon visibly relaxed, Morgan coughed into his hand. The two made their way down the rest of the stairs, stopping when they reached the bottom and coughing.

“He might be here watching.” Hotch said, looking around as Sera stood up straight once more. He went to Elle and said, “Take pictures-- as many as you can.”

“You got it.” Elle replied, taking out her camera and starting to take pictures of the male students watching the fire.

“Sera, you take care of Morgan and Gideon.” Hotch ordered, receiving a nod from the young Healer.

 Sera walked to Gideon and Morgan and began herding them towards the ambulance. At their protests, she glared at them fiercely, silently promising pain if they so much as uttered a word of complaint. Knowing her to be serious, they silently followed her to the ambulance, sitting on the ledge as she checked them over.

“Here, drink this.” She said, handing them a small vial each. “It is a potion to help clear your lungs.”

With identical grimaces on their faces, they both tossed the potion back like one would a vodka shot, knowing from experience it was better to toss it back rather than sip it. She didn’t blame them for their reactions. Even though it was made with mostly muggle ingredients, the potions didn’t taste any better than their magical counterparts.

XXXXXXXXXX

Later, once Gideon returned from Dean Turner’s office with Elle, the team began looking through the photos that Elle took. The hours passed slowly and soon, half the night had passed.

“We’ve been at this all night,” Morgan said, picking up a photograph from the table he was standing in front of and looking at it before putting it back down. “And we've got nothin'.”

Hotch had his elbow propped on the desk and his head resting tiredly on his hand. He looked up when Sera put a cup of coffee next to him. He smiled in thanks before taking a sip. She moved around, handing cups of coffee to the team.

“Look at these expressions.” Morgan continued, smiling at Sera when she handed him a cup of coffee. “We got fear, a touch of horror, even a little bit of panic.” Sera went back to her seat at the table with a cup of tea as Morgan asked, “Where's the guy gettin' off?”

 Morgan walked towards Reid, sitting at the desk in front of Hotch. Jade was curled up around the senior agent’s neck, fast asleep.

“When asked about his motives, Peter Dinsdale said, _‘I am devoted to fire. Fire is my master.’_ ” The young genius said.

“Okay, so who’s our boy’s master?” Morgan asked, putting his hands in his pockets. “10,000 plus students...” he said, facing the bulletin board and taking a pocket lighter from his pocket, igniting it. “And one has a serious fascination with fire.” He extinguished the flame and turned back to them.

“Fire starting is one third of the homicidal triad... an early predictor of adult dissociative criminal behavior.” Sera said, stretching lightly before sitting on an empty chair next to Gideon as she continued, “If we were to look into his past, particularly his childhood, we would likely find all three. Bedwetting... and cruelty to animals.”

“Absent or abusive father,” Gideon added, pushing off the printer and walking towards the bulletin board. “Trouble with the opposite sex, chronic low self-esteem-- M.O. would be dynamic.” He turned to face the team, “Evolving. Fire setting escalates, they thrive on panic, fear. It's just the standard profile of a serial arsonist.” He waved his hands as he spoke.

“Based on hundreds of interviews.” Reid said.

“Based on precedent.” Morgan added, sitting on a chair and playing with the lighter.

“Everything the unsub should be, according to research.” Elle said.

“We’re off the mark.” Hotch stated.

“Because of 2 missing elements.” Gideon agreed.

“Sex and power-the 2 motives that drive a serial arsonist.” Sera said.

“And without ‘em, we do not have a profile.” Gideon said, shaking his head.

Sera sighed and rubbed her back, wincing.

“I need some air.” She said after a few moments of silence. She grabbed her purse and turned to Gideon and said, “Jason, will you accompany me?”

He nodded, and they left the room, Sera’s arm tucked in Gideon’s elbow.

XXXXXXXXXX

The pair walked in silence down the building steps, enjoying the warm night air.

“Whoa! Hey!” A student on a bicycle called out to them, coming to a stop as the two agents turned and faced the student. “Uh, sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” The young man said in a slightly apologetic tone as he got off his bike. “I'm just, um, I'm campus patrol. I'm supposed to ask for your I.D.”

He looked at them expectantly, playing with his necklace, as they exchanged looks and walked up to the student.

“Sure.” Gideon said as he took his badge wallet out from his pocket and showed it to the campus patroller. Sera took her own out from her purse and handed it to the patroller as well.

“You’re both part of that FBI group.” The patroller commented as he took the badges and examined them closely, looking at the two agents with scrutiny – particularly Sera in her unconventional attire. Sera and Gideon smiled as the student flicks Gideon’s badge. “Um, like profilers, right?”

“Yes.” Sera replied with a nod, still smiling at the man.

“Like, one look at a crime scene, you can tell what kind of shampoo a killer uses?” he asked, looking between the two agents and the badges.

“You sound skeptical.” Gideon commented as they took their badges back and pocketed them.

“Uh, maybe a little.” The patroller replied, smiling sheepishly and fiddling with his necklace once more.

“Your girlfriend believes you are going to break up with her.” Sera told him, earning a shocked look from the patroller as the smile dropped from his face.

“You’re kidding, right?”

“You constantly adjust and fiddle with your necklace.” Sera explained at the shocked look. “That tells me you are not used to wearing one, or somebody else probably purchased it for you, quite recently, and the Chinese symbol on it means ‘ _Forever yours’_.” Understanding dawned on the young man’s face as his skepticism faded and respect took its place on the youthful features. “Look after yourself, yeah?”

He watched the two agents as they walked away, arm-in-arm. The two walked in silence once more.

 _“Sera, Dean Turner just told us that there are students here who think they know how the fires were set.”_ Hotch mentally told the witch.

Sera stopped, tugging Gideon’s arm and making him turn to her in confusion.

“What is it?” he asked with a slight frown.

 “Aaron says that there are a few students who may know how the fires were set.” Sera told him before mentally asking Hotch, “ _Where are you? I would like to see their explanation._ ”

_“We’re in the chemistry lab.”_

“They’re in the chemistry lab.” Sera added, “I’m going to go join them. Do you want to join?”

“No, you go ahead.” Gideon replied as she let go of his arm. “Stay linked with Hotch.”

“Sure.” Sera replied, smiling radiantly up at her friend before turning to walk back inside. “ _I’m on my way._ ”

“ _Okay. We’re waiting for you._ ”

A few minutes later, Sera entered the lab to find four students at the lab tables, using pipettes and other scientific equipment, while Hotch and Reid were on the other side by the lab computers. She joined her fellow agents, Reid fiddling with a lightbulb, as Hotch quietly spoke to the young male genius. She could see Jade cured around Hotch’s neck, now wide awake and watching her surroundings.

“Reid, since you’re more their age, why don’t you do the talking?”

Reid looked at him and back at Sera.

“Why can’t Sera do the talking?” he asked, a slight pleading tone in his voice.

“I didn’t go to mortal school. At least not after I turned 11.” Sera replied as Hotch walked away.

Reid looked at the four students with a ‘deer-caught-in-a-hunter’s-gaze’ expression as Sera smiled slightly and joined Hotch and Zhang against another table, covered with science equipment.

“Ahem. Hi-- hi, guys. Uh, my name's, uh, Dr. Spencer Reid.” Reid began as he walked around the table, toward Sera, Hotch and Zhang. “I'm a, uh, agent with the - the B.A.U., the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the F.B.I., which, um, it used to be called the B.S.U., the Behavioral Science Unit, but not anymore.”

“ _You did that on purpose._ ” Sera mentally told the slightly older man, giving him a side-ways glance. Jade was hissing her amusement as she watched Reid.

“ _Yes, I did.”_ He replied with a slight smirk as he watched Reid continue to talk, unaware of the mental conversation occurring between the soul-mated pair.

“They changed it to the B.A.U.” Reid walked around the three of them and came to a stop in front of the students. “Um, it's part of the N.C.A.V.C., the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime which is also part of this thing called the C.I.R.G., the Critical Incident Response Group, and -"

Hotch and Sera glanced at each other and at the students before quietly moving over to stand by Reid.

“What he is trying to say is that we would love to know how you can help us.” Sera said with a gentle smile, cutting the rambling agent off gently and looking at the students.

 Reid nodded and gave a sigh of relief at not having to continue. The students were silent for a moment before the male student closed his folder and stood up, reaching out to the lightbulb the Reid was still holding.

“May I, please?” Reid handed him the lightbulb. “Thank you.” The student looked at the four visitors and held up the lightbulb. “See this? Drill a hole in the side,” he pointed to the side in emphasis. “Fill it with gasoline or whatever’s good and flammable. Turn the light on. Boom.” Reid raised his eyebrows and glanced at Hotch. “That is what went down, didn’t it?”

“The stuff’s all over the net.” One of the female students, sitting at the very back, said, making them turn and look at her. “Wanna know how to make a Molotov cocktail that sets itself on fire? Potassium, sulfur... and normal sugar.” She held up a finger as she listed them. “Sugar-- sugar, which is -”

“Not exactly plutonium.” The male student finished, making the four guests turn back to him.

“Sugar from the supermarket.” The female student added in explanation.

“Yet you do not need to be a chemistry major to know this.” Sera pointed out.

“Do you think it’s a chem student?” Zhang asked the four students.

“You wanna know what I think?” the male student asked, making them turn back to him. “I think…” he held the bulb up to his forehead as a joke, “it would be a good time to take the semester off.” He gave the bulb back to Reid, who took it and looked at it as the student went back to his seat.

Not long after, Hotch, Sera and Reid left the lab, going inside the elevator with Jeremy. Reid and Sera went in first, followed by Hotch and Jeremy. Hotch pressed a button on the panel while Jeremy reached out and inserted a key before the elevator began to move.

“You need a key to get it movin’ after 10:00 p.m.” the student explained at Hotch’s questioning glance.

“So what are you still doin’ here?” Hotch asked him as Sera leaned tiredly against Reid.

“I can’t leave. We got projects.” Jeremy replied with a slight chuckle. “You know how to solve the 3 body problem?” Behind him, Reid nodded as Jeremy continued, “Computing the mutual gravitational interaction between the Earth, Sun and Moon?”

Hotch glanced at Reid, who was still nodding, and turned back to Jeremy.

“No idea.” He replied as Sera delicately covered a yawn with her hand.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next day, after a not very relaxing night, the team was back in the command center listening to a recording of a call that came in to the tip line. Jade was out hunting for her food since she didn’t find the human food particularly appetizing.

_“Karen. I do this for Karen.”_

“Play it again.” Gideon ordered, a frown on his face as he listened intently to the recording.

“The call came from the office right next to Wallace’s 5 minutes before the fire was started.” Morgan informed them.

“Play it again, please.” Sera requested, a frown on her face.

She was dressed a green version of the previous day’s dress, complete with a belt tied around her hips that had her dagger and gun holster strapped to it. Her wands were tucked into her arm holsters, covered by her long sleeves. She had the matching green 4” heeled pumps on her feet, her wedding rings and watch on her left hand, her Gryffindor class ring on her right hand and her wedding necklace around her neck, hanging to her breastbone. Her hair was in the same 5-strand French braid as the previous day, her fringe tucked behind one ear.

_“Karen. I do this for Karen.”_

“Again, louder.” Gideon said, an identical frown on his face.

The team looked at them as Morgan adjusted the controls on the speaker and replayed the recording.

_“Karen. I do this for Karen.”_

“What is it?” Hotch asked the two agents.

“I’m not sure.” Gideon replied, shaking his head.

“There’s something about it.” Sera added with a frown, groaning slightly as she massaged her back. “It’s ringing a few bells, but I don’t know for certain which ones.”

Reid, seeing the discomfort his pregnant colleague was in, gently guided her to sit in a chair.

“Is this tape clean?” Hotch asked Morgan.

Morgan looked at Hotch.

“I believe so, but I can double check with Garcia.” Morgan replied, opening up the chat window with Garcia as the rest of them left the room.

“Sera, are you all right?” Hotch asked, looking at the younger woman with worry etched across his fair features as they walked down the hall.

“I just need some air.” Sera replied, a hand on her bump.

At Hotch’s understanding nod, Sera headed out into the mid-day sun as Gideon and Reid joined her. Reid and Sera sat under the shade of a tall tree while Gideon paced. Reid was sitting at the base of the tree while Sera was lying flat on her back, her head in Reid’s lap and her hands on her bump.

They watched as some students packed their belongings into the awaiting cars, an undercurrent of tension and fear running through everyone. Sera couldn’t help but notice how similar it was to her second year, when the Chamber of Secrets had been opened and the Basilisk had been let loose.

“What if the unsub is one of the students leaving?” Reid asked after a few moments of silence.

“No, he’s not done yet.” Gideon replied, pausing in his pacing as he looked around at the students.

“He’s not going anywhere.” Sera added.

“Have you ever had anything similar happen, Sera?” Reid asked, looking down at her as she turned her head in his lap to look at him.

“Somewhat.” Sera admitted softly. “There was a Basilisk that was petrifying muggle-borns and there was talk of the school being shut down. But that was mystical, this is an ordinary, non-magical arsonist.”

“Keep thinking.” Gideon told his protégé.

“You mean, out - outside the box?” Reid asked as Sera stood up, stretched and began walking around within hearing distance. “That's what Morgan and Sera are always telling me. Morgan says that's why I can never beat you at chess.”

“Well, he’s probably right.” Gideon said with a slight chuckle. “And Sera is always thinking outside the box.”

“Because she’s constantly breaking the laws of physics.” Reid said with a smile, glancing at the beautiful woman who was a few feet away from them, her face turned up towards the sun as she soaked in the rays and glowed slightly. “But, in this situation, what exactly _is_ the box?”

“The standard profile of a serial arsonist.” Gideon replied. “If everything you know goes in the box, what’s left?”

Sera turned and began walking back to the two men.

“What you don’t know. The unknown.” Reid replied, a small frown on his face as he looked up at his mentor.

“Sometimes you must get creative.” Sera said, walking back towards them.

“Even if you think it's utterly unlikely, you have to think of things nobody else thought of.” Gideon added.

“Like a stutter.” Reid said in understanding.

“Yeah, exactly.” Gideon replied. He turned to Sera and asked, “Do you use fire? For something other than what non-magical people use it for?”

“Yes. To communicate, to travel.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

That night, the team was back in the command center, while Gideon – with Jade - was walking the hallways in an attempt to gain insight into the unsub. Sera was sitting on a rolling chair, listening to the recording through head phones with her eyes closed as she tried to figure out what it was that nagged her.

_“Karen. I do this for Karen. Karen. I do this for Karen.”_

“Hey Reid.” Morgan called out, ending his call with Garcia. “Garcia says it’s not ‘Karen’. It’s actually somethin’ more like -”

“Charown.” Gideon finished, rushing into the room as Sera sat up, her eyes flying open as she looked at the older man. Jade slid down the man’s body, hissing her displeasure at being startled, and being completely ignored by the humans.

“Charown?” Reid repeated in confusion.

“‘I do it because of Charown’.” Sera said, standing and looking up at Reid.

“That’s Hebrew.” Reid pointed out.

“It’s God’s word in anger.” Gideon said.

“Yeah.”

Elle walked in carrying several plastic containers filled with food.

“The motive is now religious?” she asked, putting the containers down on the table and looking at Gideon and Sera, the two that had come to the conclusion.

”Well, you know, in a lot of religions, god is related to fire.” Reid said as Gideon went to the white board and erased what had been written and created a new chart, this one with ‘Fire’ as the heading.

“Well, Agni is fire in Hinduism, and the Jews see God as a pillar of fire, and Christians worship God as a consuming fire.” Hotch added.

“Okay, so we’re looking for a theology major.” Morgan suggested as Elle tossed Reid a container of food. “Maybe he’s punishing the other students for their sins.”

Reid looked at the food and put it on the table, saying “I don’t want this.”

“What - What’s the most sinful place on campus?” Elle asked, looking at Morgan.

“Come on, Elle. When I was in college, that was everywhere.” Morgan replied.

“A fraternity?” Hotch suggested.

“A campus bar?” Elle suggested.

“No. That is not consistent with the other targets.” Sera refuted, shaking her head and tucking her fringe back behind her ear.

“What about the idea of baptism by fire?” Morgan suggested. “Aren’t we all supposed to be tested through fire in Revelations?”

“If this is based on a religious motive, what about those that do not follow Christianity?” Sera pointed out, being the one that followed Hinduism, having converted after she got married.

Gideon looked up and, before anyone could reply to Sera’s comment, said, “Look, it's good, it's good, but let's please do not jump to conclusions. Religion might be a part of it, but it's not necessarily the prime compulsion.”

“Gideon, rush to conclusions, jump to conclusions.” Morgan snapped, “Who cares?”

“We are running out of time.” Elle reminded the senior agent, her tone slightly helpless as they faced the fact that they were indeed running out of time.

“Compulsion.” Reid said quietly with a thoughtful frown. Without a word, the young genius took a laptop and left the room.

The rest sat down and began looking through all the files they had from the beginning, this time trying to see if a religious angle fit into the profile.

A short time later, Morgan and Elle left the room, both saying they want to clear their heads.

“I’m going to go check in on Reid.” Gideon said as he stood up from the chair he was sitting in across from Hotch, a few moments after Morgan and Elle left.

Sera, who had been sitting on the floor leaning against the table, slipped her wand out of her holster and tapped a mug that was on the table, immediately filling it with coffee. She tapped a blank piece of paper, transfiguring it into a plate and pulled some biscuits out of her purse, placing them neatly in the plate.

“Here, take these to him.” She said, gesturing to the mug and plate. She tapped the mug, making steam rise from the heated contents. “When you give it to him, please remind him that the mug has been charmed to keep the coffee to his desired drinking temperature.”

Gideon nodded and left the room, holding the mug and plate carefully in his hands. Hotch looked at the younger woman, a slight pout on his face.

“Here you go.” Sera said with a light laugh, tapping her wand against his mug and filling it with the desired liquid gold.

Hotch took a sip and sighed.

“I love you.” he said earnestly, looking at her.

“I love you, too.” She replied with a radiant smile, sitting back down on the floor.

It wasn’t long afterwards that Gideon returned, passing Reid’s thanks to Sera who nodded and absently tapped her wand against Gideon’s mug, filling his mug with coffee as well.

“I know why the profiles never fit.” Reid said when he came into the room almost an hour later.

Sera looked up as did Hotch and Gideon who were once again sitting opposite each other at the table Sera was leaning against. Reid turned to Gideon as he said, “You were right to tell Morgan not to rely on precedent. The fires thus far have been completely task oriented.”

“So, once they’re set, the unsub is done?” Hotch asked.

“Exactly. The unsub is not a classical serial arsonist. He’s someone who uses fire because of a completely different disorder.”

“Which is?” Sera asked, taking the hand Reid put out to her and pulling herself up.

“An extreme manifestation of OCD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.” Reid replied. Hotch stood up, letting the pregnant agent sit in his seat while stood behind her as Reid continued. “He does everything in 3’s, and if I’m right, he’ll have to kill again.” Reid took out the laptop and put it on the table, opening it to the video of Mathew Rowland’s death and sitting down in one of the chairs. “There’s a form of OCD called Scrupulosity.”

“Religious obsession and compulsion.” Sera said. The four agents shifted slightly so that they were in a mock circle, with Hotch still standing behind Sera, his hands on her dainty shoulders. “An obsessive fear of committing sin, which creates so much anxiety that he’s compelled to do something to ease that anxiety.”

“Like setting fires.” Hotch suggested in example. Reid nodded.

“Where’s the behavioral evidence?” Gideon asked, rubbing his forehead in exhaustion.

“Right here.” Reid replied, pressing a button on the laptop as they turned to look. “All right. Remember the night of the 3 fires? We saw the doorknob turning against the lock.” Reid played the zoomed-in footage of that particular moment and they watched as the doorknob turned against the lock. “But he’s not trying to get in. He’s compelled to turn the doorknob 3 times.”

“Well, what about the fires?” Gideon asked, partly in question and partly in probing to encourage the younger agent to continue his thought. “The first ones were single fires. If the unsub had OCD, shouldn’t they have all been in 3’s?”

“They were in 3’s.” Reid replied. “A trinity of 3’s. The first fire occurred on March 3rd.”

“3:00 p.m., 3rd day, 3rd month.” Gideon said in understanding, putting his head back in his hand as he rubbed his temples.

“It’s that convergence of 3’s that causes the overwhelming anxiety.” Reid said. “Obsessives compulsives ease the anxiety by performing the compulsion.”

“What about the other fires? Professor Wallace?” Sera asked, her voice quiet as she remembered the brief flash of pain she felt from the professor as his soul was taken by Death.

“Office number 3.” Reid replied gently before raising his voice slightly. “I checked for more patterns of 3’s. His class was on Tuesdays.”

“3rd day of the week.” Hotch muttered.

“Mathew Rowland was in that class. It was his 3rd class of the day. If we looked into each of the fires we’d find a lot of patterns having to do with 3’s because our minds are incredibly adept at seeking out patterns. But to the unsub, once that pattern hits, bam -” Reid snapped his fingers “he sets a fire.”

Hotch moved away with a frown on his face, a thought tickling the back of his mind. Sera, feeling the loss of his hands on her shoulders, looked at him.

“But if the target was always people, why did no one die in the first few fires?” Gideon asked, frowning.

“They were failures. Up until Mathew Rowland.”

“Aaron, what is it?” Sera asked her soulmate in concern.

“I think I know who it might be.” He said quietly, looking at them. “And it’s not a ‘he’. It’s a ‘she’.”

The other three agents looked at each other and back at Hotch.

“Aaron, who do you believe it might be?” Sera asked, standing up and moving in front of the taller man, looking up into his warm brown eyes that had a ring of emerald green around the outside of his iris – the only physical evidence of their Soul Bond. Sera’s own eyes had a warm brown ring circling her pupil, leaving the emerald green the more dominant color of her eyes.

“One of the students we were talking to earlier.” He replied softly as Gideon pulled out his phone and called Dean Turner.

As Gideon spoke to the Dean, Sera took Hotch’s hand, rubbing her thumb over the broader palm in soothing circles as they waited for the call to end. Gideon told the Dean to send Campus Security out to find their unsub, Clara Hayes, before ending the call and calling Morgan with the update.

“Turner’s bringing us the girl’s records.” Gideon said to them, as he ended his call. “Elle asked how you know it’s _this_ girl. And to be honest, I would like to know as well.”

“When I was talking to her and her classmates, I noticed something – a ring on her finger. And she kept turning it.” Hotch said, pulling a chair and sitting down with Sera next to him, their hands still interlocked.

“At intervals?” Reid asked.

“Of 3.” Hotch replied in confirmation. “And she counted off the ingredients of a lightbulb bomb.”

“And the word ‘sugar’.” Sera added, remembering back to being in the classroom with the students.

“Yeah. And she kept repeating it.” Hotch said, nodding. “Once she started, she couldn’t stop.”

“Yeah, it’s palilalia.” Reid said, before going on to explain. “It’s the involuntary repetition of words. Howard Hughes had it when his OCD worsened.”

“Clara and her classmates were working on a project about gravitational pull.” Hotch informed Gideon, who was silent and pensive since ending his call with Morgan.

“The 3 body problem.” The senior most agent said.

“Yes.” Sera said, nodding as Reid’s mobile began to ring.

“Reid.” The genius said as he answered. He paused for a moment, mouthing ‘Morgan’ to them in explanation as he listened to what was being said. “Moloch was the demon Sun God of the Canaanites. In order to keep from incurring his wrath, the people would sacrifice their children to him by burning them alive.”

The printer spat out a paper that Hotch took and looked at.

 _“16-year-old survives inferno. The mother Ellen Hayes called it a miracle. ‘My daughter was tested by God. He tested my child and she came through blessed.’”_ He read before handing the paper to Gideon as he said, “Look at the house number.”

“333.” Gideon read as Turner walked in with a box.

She set it down on the table as Sera began to sift through it. She handed a stack of files to Reid, Hotch and Gideon before taking a stack herself and looking through them, trying to find something that might help them find the next target.

“Okay, we know she’s not at her flat.” Sera said, looking up from the paper she was holding.

“What about the Science Building?” Reid asked. “They did mention that they had projects due.”

“I’ll call security.” Turner said, picking up the phone and making her call as the four agents continued looking through the files. She pulled the phone away from her ear a few minutes later and looked at them. “Security is checking the Science Building.”

“Well, where else would she be?” Gideon asked.

“We need to find the next pattern of 3’s.” Reid said, causing them to focus the search in another direction.

As Gideon, Reid and Sera looked through the files, Hotch spoke to Morgan, urging him to find something.

“He said he’ll call me back.” Hotch told them as a security officer came in to the room.

“Sir, Ma’am, she’s not in the Science Building. We’ve searched it top to bottom.” The officer said regretfully.

“Thank you.” Sera said reassuringly, knowing just how out of depth the officers were feeling.

Hotch’s phone rang and he answered it as Sera poured the security officers a much needed cup of coffee, which was accepted gratefully.

“Morgan, seal the building, get everybody out of there and walk away.” Hotch ordered into the phone.

“We need to send our people into every building. Have them start pulling fire alarms.” Gideon ordered the officers. “Please go.”

The officers hurried out of the office after they put their still full cups of coffee back on the tray.

“Reid, a map of the campus. We need to find anything and everything having to do with the number 3.” Gideon said as the genius stood up and went to the map.

“Where’s the blueprint?” Sera asked Hotch, who spread it out on the table.

Sera and Hotch looked at the blueprint as they all heard the sounds of the fire alarms ringing through the campus. Several tense minutes later, Gideon moved away from the monitors with a paper in his hand, his glasses perched low on his nose.

“Jason, wait. Wait, wait, wait, wait.” Sera said, reaching out to the older man as he tried to leave the room, making him look at her.

“Clara Hayes is very likely a good person. Someone who never wanted to do anyone any harm, like any other rational person.” Hotch said, standing next to Sera.

Reid, seeing the three and hearing what Hotch was saying, walked over to them, standing beside Gideon.

“But there’s nothing rational about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.” Sera pointed out.

“Research suggests OCD involves problems in communication between the frontal part of the brain and the Orbital Cortex.” Reid explained as Gideon removed his glasses and looked to the younger agent. “Plus deeper structures. The Basal Ganglia.”

“You cannot reason with her because you cannot reason with a physiological problem.” Sera added. “She is not setting these fires because she wants to, rather because she must.”

“What are you trying to say?” Gideon asked with a frown, looking between the soul-bonded pair.

“Don’t try to convince her to stop, because you won’t be able to.” Hotch told him firmly.

Gideon nodded in understanding as Morgan called Sera and update her on his and Elle’s lack of progress in finding Clara.

Hotch and Sera exchanged looks and sighed as they headed out of the building. Gideon and Reid stayed in the office as they looked at the monitors for clues as to where Clara could be.

“Security’s sure they’ve cleared out the Science Building?” Hotch asked, his phone on speaker as he and Sera walked down the long steps.

“ _The guards made sure all floors were empty and no elevators are in service._ ” Dean Turner replied.

Sera and Hotch exchanged looks, eyes wide.

“Hold on.” Sera breathed as they remembered what Jeremy had told them about the elevator.

” _You need a key to get it moving after 10:00 p.m.”_

They sped up as they went down the steps, their gait quickly becoming a run as they headed to the Science building.

They ran up the stairs to the third floor of the building, hearing the muffled cries of students. Glancing quickly around the corner, they saw Clara sitting on the ground in front of the elevator and holding up a flame.

“Clara.” Hotch called, standing in the middle of the hallway with Sera slightly behind him, though Clara could still see her.

“Clara, you don’t have to do this, all right?” Jeremy pleaded, his voice muffled.

“I have to do this.” Clara said, looking at the two agents.

“You know it's not rational, Clara. You were trying to tell me.” Hotch said gently.

“God chose me to be tested, and now he’s chosen them.” she said, looking at them. “If I don’t do this, something terrible will gonna happen.” She turned back to the students and began lowering the flame, the desperate pleas from her classmates getting louder and more frantic.

“What will happen, Clara? A flood? An earthquake?” Sera asked as Hotch began slowly inching forward with Sera slightly behind him.

“You know this isn’t rational.” Hotch said.

Clara groaned as they tried to stall her.

“I know. I know. I know.” She moaned, her grip tightening on the flame thrower as she raised it up, her eyes squeezed tightly shut and she faced away from the elevator of students and the two agents.

“Then resist.” Hotch told her.

“I can’t.” she groaned through clenched teeth. The three students pleaded with her, their pleas falling on deaf ears. “They must be tested. God’s wrath…”

Hotch reached into his belt and drew his gun as Sera drew her Holly and Phoenix feather wand.

“Clara, you told us it was a chemistry student.” Hotch said.

“ _Protego.”_ Sera whispered as a shield-like forcefield created a bubble around Hotch, seen only by the witch and her soul-mate.

“You left the message about Charon.” Hotch continued without pause as the witch maintained the shield around him. Clara began mumbling as she raised and lowered the flame, rocking back and forth. “You want to stop.”

“Father, son…” she mumbled.

“Clara.” Hotch called warningly as he and Sera moved even closer to her, now only a few paces away.

“Holy ghost.” She mumbled as she raised the flamethrower in the air.

The three students screamed in fright and terror.

“Clara, stop!” Hotch yelled.

“God chose them.” She said.

Hotch fired his gun, the bullet passing through the Protego bubble and hitting Clara in the thigh. The shock and pain of the shot startled Clara, causing her to drop the flame thrower. It rolled towards the elevator as the students screamed in fear. Sera cancelled the _Protego_ spell and waved her hand at the flame, extinguishing it with a whispered _Augumenti_ as Hotch sent it rolling to the other end of the hall.

“I thought you two said not to reason with her.” Gideon said, as he ran through the plastic partition with his gun drawn and pointed at a trembling Clara. The girl was laying on her side and clutching her wounded thigh.

“Get us out of here.” One of the students pleaded tearfully before Hotch could reply.

Morgan and Elle ran up to them, lowering their drawn guns when they were given a nod from Gideon. Sera sent her wand back into it’s holder strapped to her arm, beneath her sleeve and hidden by Magic.

Hotch holstered his gun and turned to Sera, looking her over for any injuries even though he knew she wasn’t hurt. She did the same to him. The other three agents left them alone, knowing that it was something they constantly did to reassure themselves and each other that they were safe.

XXXXXXXXXXX

A short time later, which felt like an age to the tired pregnant woman, they boarded the jet to take them home. Reid sat across from Gideon and set up a chess game for the two of them to play, Morgan and Elle sat across from each other and began writing up their reports, while Hotch phoned Hayley and Sera went to the bathroom for a round of morning sickness, having called Daphne with the update before getting on the jet.

She emerged nearly 15 minutes later, rubbing her stomach as she grabbed a tub of yoghurt from the mini-fridge and a spoon. Going back to the sofa she was sharing with Hotch, she passed Elle and Morgan, who had fallen asleep just after they started their reports. She smiled and shook her head, levitating her snack to Hotch before picking up the files and putting them away. Seeing Morgan stir slightly, she gently rubbed his arm, soothing him back to his much-needed sleep, and covered the two agents with blankets before putting blankets beside Gideon and Reid as well and going back to her own seat.

“You really are the team Nanny.” Hotch said quietly to her, a teasing smile on his face as he handed her the yoghurt and spoon.

She toed off her heels and curled up beside him, her blanket-covered legs on his lap.

“Any problem with that?” she asked with a smirk.

He laughed in response as she took a spoonful of her snack as the jet flew through the air, taking them back to Quantico and home.

_Notes_

_*Sera dress style for both days (colors mentioned in the story – light pink the first day and dark green the second day) -[https://](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/474566879474264496/)_ _[www.pinterest.com/pin/474566879474264496/](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/474566879474264496/) _

_*Sera’s bracelet watch -<https://www.pinterest.com/pin/428616089513937135/>_

_The rest of the items worn, her wedding rings and necklace, her pumps (which are the same, only different colors), and Gryffindor House ring are mentioned in the 1 st chapter. If you would like the links to be posted for those as well, please let me know._

_Please read and review. I appreciate constructive feedback._


	3. Won't Get Fooled Again

** Chapter 3: Won’t Get Fooled Again **

_Notes: Sera’s pregnancy timeline -_ [ _https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/259027416039499633/_ ](https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/259027416039499633/)

F.B.I., Behavioral Analysis Unit – Quantico, Virginia

Sera walked at a brisk pace through the hallways of the F.B.I.’s Behavioral Analysis Unit. She was between Hotch and Gideon, both walking with the same brisk pace, Jade (Sera’s jewel green Boomslang serpent familiar) curled around Gideon’s neck. Hotch was filling the two of them in on a bombing that had occurred as they headed to the BAU’s Briefing Room where the rest of the team, minus JJ, waited for them.

The witch was wearing a lavender floor-length long-sleeved medieval dress that stretched gently over her 22-week baby bump with a round barely off-the-shoulder neckline and a darker trim along the neck, cuffs and hem*, a belt tied around her hips that had her dagger and gun holster strapped to it. Her wands were tucked into her arm holsters, covered by her long sleeves. She had matching lavender 4” heeled pumps on her tiny feet, with her red Gryffindor House class ring on her right ring finger, her wedding necklace around her neck and wedding rings on her left ring finger. On her right wrist, she wore a charm bracelet with several small charms, including a motorcycle, a Celtic athame, among others. She had a lavender leaf bindi on her forehead, directly between her eyebrows*. Her raven black hair was pulled in her usual 5-strand French-braid with the fringe tucked behind one ear and reaching the back of her knees, the vermillion in the center of her hairline,* (the rest hidden by her hair) above her bindi signifying her as a married woman. Her rectangle black wire-framed glasses were perched on her nose.

“Clurman’s was the second bombing this morning, both in residential neighborhoods in Palm Beach.” Hotch said.

“Homeland Security been notified?” Gideon asked, a serious look on his normally jovial face.

“And ATF.” Hotch confirmed. “In addition to a profile, they want a threat assessment.”

“And the media is aware of this.” Sera stated, not quite asking.

“Of course.” Hotch said with a slightly irritated look on his face at the thought of the media frenzy this would cause. “JJ’s keeping tabs on that.”

“What do we know about the bombs?” Gideon asked as he held the bullpen door open for the two younger agents.

“Morgan hooked up with ATF. They’ll send more pictures of bomb fragments as they find them.” Hotch replied.

The three briskly walked across the bullpen and to the Briefing Room. Inside, the rest of the team, minus JJ, was looking at the photos of the bomb fragments that had been sent over by ATF.

“Pipe bombs.” Gideon commented, looking at a photo as he stood with Reid seated beside him and looking at the photo as well.

“Packed in cardboard boxes.” Morgan confirmed, standing between Gideon and Hotch, who was also standing.

“Package bombs.” Hotch said.

“Sent through a courier or mailing service?” Sera asked as she sat on the padded back chair beside Reid and leaned forward slightly so that she could look at the photos.

“No.” Morgan said as he handed two photos to Gideon. “The other picture in your hand is of the switch that ATF found. Same mechanism for both bombs, mercury-activated.”

“What does that mean?” Elle asked as she opened her notebook and held up her pen. She was standing beside Sera.

“There are contacts to a detonator on either end of a bent tube full of mercury.” Reid explained, holding the photo of the trigger mechanism and pointing to it as Elle looked at it.

“What it means is all you have to do is tilt the package to detonate it.” Morgan finished the explanation.

“So they couldn’t have been sent through the mail.” Elle pointed out as she looked up at Morgan, Gideon looking at her as she spoke. “The bomber had to deliver them himself.”

“Exactly.” Morgan nodded.

“Strange way to commit an act of terrorism.” Hotch said with a slight frown, looking at the photos spread out on the table.

“Yes. Why go through such trouble only to kill a small number of people?” Sera asked, a similar frown on her face as she picked up the train of thought.

“Let’s recommend not raising the terror alert for now.” Gideon told them as they nodded in agreement. “No reason to spread panic.”

“We got news.” JJ said as she walked in, making them all turn to her. She picked up the remote and turned on the TV, showing them a live news coverage. “This is just a local channel, but the coverage is everywhere now – CNN, FOX, MSNBC, Al-Jazeera, you name it.”

“So much for not spreading panic.” Hotch muttered to Gideon, though they all heard and nodded in agreement.

JJ raised the volume on the TV as they watched the newscaster’s report.

“ _According to doctors, he’s badly injured, but in stable condition in the ICU. Now neighbors say that they heard a blast at about 10:30 this morning, and the police arrived…_ ”

“If DHS does not raise the terror alert now, they will be seen as weak in the eyes of the people.” Sera said, a worried look on her face. “The people may even turn on them.”

She knew exactly what could happen if that were to occur, and she shuddered slightly as her Occlumency shields slipped ever so slightly and the memories of her past tried to overwhelm her. Memories of a time when she was seen as weak, despite her best efforts to be the opposite, and turned on by the very people she strove to protect and save.

Hotch, seeing the reaction, moved to stand beside her and put his hands on her shoulders, Reid taking the witch’s hand and squeezing it in reassurance before letting go. Sera shook her head and looked back at the team, focusing on the case and not her painful past.

“Make sure Homeland Security knows that this is everywhere.” Hotch said as JJ nodded and turned to leave.

On the screen, a secondary blast blew, sending a wave of fire out towards the street. JJ jumped back slightly as they all started from surprise.

Sera gripped her head and screamed in pain as she felt the bomber claim the life of another person. Hotch moved to kneel in front of her, his larger hands covering her small ones. She had her eyes screwed tightly shut as she bit her lip to keep from screaming at the sudden increase of pain.

“Snow, look at me. I need you to look at me.” He said softly and firmly. Jade slithered down Gideon’s arms and made her way to Sera, curling around the woman’s right forearm and squeezing gently, tight enough to be felt but not constricting. She groaned as the pain engulfed her, the baby kicking in response to her emotions. “Snow, you need to focus on me. Not on Death collecting the souls. Look at me. Focus on me.”

Slowly, Sera opened her eyes and looked at him, the chocolate brown ring around the inner circle of her eyes shining as the corresponding emerald green ring around the outer circle of Hotch’s eyes did the same.

“Take a breath in.” Hotch said, breathing in lightly as Sera followed. “And let it out.” He let the breath out as Sera followed. They did this a few times until she calmed down, Jade gently rubbing her small serpent head against Sera’s cheek.

“Thank you.” She said softly.

“Any time.” He replied, standing up and kissing her forehead before moving away.

“Ow.” Sera groaned as she stood up, her hands flying to her baby bump.

“What is it?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Is the baby okay?”

“ _What’sss the matter?”_

“Nothing is wrong. The baby is all right.” Sera replied, running her hands over the swell. “A little displeased about the feedback of the blast, as always.” She gave them a wry smile. “Baby decided to express the displeasure by kicking me incessantly.”

“Baby, no kicking Mommy.” Morgan said sternly, bending over and looking at the baby bump.

As if in response to the command, the baby gave a particularly hard kick.

“ _Baby doessssn’t care what you think._ ” Jade hissed in amusement, making Hotch snort slightly in amusement.

“I don't believe Baby particularly cares what you say, Derek.” Sera said, translating what Jade said, as she took the dark-skinned agent’s hand and put it on the bump, letting him feel the kicks. She turned to the team, who were looking at her with slight worry. “It appears we are going to Palm Beach.”

With that, they returned to the matter at hand as Hotch looked at her.

“Meet at the airstrip in 20?”

She nodded, grabbing her phone to make the arrangements as they all began clearing the table and walking out in one’s and two’s.

“Snow, are you going to be okay?” Hotch asked after the rest of the team left the room and she hung up the phone, looking at his soul-mate with worry-filled eyes.

She looked up at him and smiled reassuringly.

“I’ll be all right, Aaron.” She replied. “I _am_ used to the pain.”

Sera was in constant pain in because of the amount of people that die every day, from any kind of death. She would often joke that the one good thing that resulted from the ten years she spent with her mother’s sister’s family, the Dursley’s, and the abuse she suffered, was her increased tolerance to pain. A tolerance that had increased even further from her ‘adventures’ while she was a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

“Why did it seem to affect you so badly this time? It is usually more of a sudden flash of pain that abates after a few - long - seconds.”

“I’m not entirely sure.” She turned and looked out of the window for a moment before turning back to him. “Perhaps it is because my Occlumency shields slipped slightly? Or perhaps because of the violence of this death as opposed to others? Or it could be because of the pregnancy and the difference between this one and the previous ones?”

She was referring to her now being a single mother and a widow after losing her husband to Hurricane Katrina in August. A terrible storm that claimed many lives, including her husband and the man who raised her from the time she was 11 years old, leaving behind a son, her cousin, only a few years older than herself.

“Just be careful, okay.” He pleaded with her and she nodded in understanding.

The truth was, they had no idea what they were dealing with. There had never been a True Master, or Mistress in this case, of Death. Nor had a Bond such as theirs ever really existed. The closest that any Bond had come to one such as theirs was the one between Merlin and Arthur Pendragon in the time of Camelot’s reign, and that one had been entirely Platonic.

With a final look at Sera, Hotch walked out of the room and was met by Morgan, who had been waiting just outside the room with a cup of coffee in his hand.

“How is she?” Morgan asked him as they walked along the mezzanine together.

“She’ll be okay.” He replied. “What is it? You didn’t stand here waiting just to ask if she’s okay.”

“I would, but you’re right in this case.” Morgan replied with a slight smirk before becoming serious. “They’re gonna be sending us those bomb fragments by this afternoon. I’m the only one with an ATF background. So, if you’d like me to stay behind and supervise the bomb profile, I’m on that.”

“Derek, you wouldn’t happen to be frightened of being out in the field with a bomber, now, would you?” Sera asked, amusement coloring her voice.

She had joined the pair just as Morgan was talking to Hotch about the bomb fragments, missing the question about her. Jade was still curled around her arm, though she was now curled around the witch’s entire arm and resting her head on the woman’s shoulder, watching her surroundings.

Morgan scoffed as the Soul-Mates turned to him, identical amused expressions on their faces.

“You know maybe it’s not the bomber that I’m worried about.” Morgan said, the amused expressions being wiped off their faces.

“I thought we were passed all of that.” Sera sighed.

“Hotch, Sera, Boston sent Gideon into a Post-Traumatic tailspin.” Morgan told them, concern shinning in his eyes. “How do we know that won’t happen again?”

“Morgan, I tell you what. Why don’t we concentrate on profiling the bomber, and not Gideon?” Hotch said firmly as he turned and walked away.

“Derek, I went through something traumatic.” Sera reminded the slightly older agent after Hotch was out of sight. “You don’t second question me or my decisions. You don’t profile me in this manner. I nearly caused a flood in New Orleans when I found Raj and Uncle William’s bodies.” Sera sighed as she remembered the pain and losses that had been suffered. “If it hadn’t been for William pulling me out and reminding me of the baby and of my children who were with the other evacuees, I would have flooded New Orleans beyond repair.”

“You have had Hotch, Hayley, Jade, and your family to help you through it.” He replied.

“And Jason has this team.” She told him, putting a tiny hand on his muscled bicep. “Just as I did.”

He sighed and nodded. She gave him a radiant smile and pulled him down to her level to kiss his cheek before heading to her office to grab her go-bag. Morgan watched her walk away, shaking his head as he took in her words. The woman had been through so much, and yet she still manages to smile radiantly and love unconditionally.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Once the jet leveled in the air, the team – minus Morgan who stayed at the BAU- unbuckled their seatbelts and moved around. Hotch got up to speak with the pilot while Sera, with Jade curled around her neck, went to the small kitchenette to make coffee and tea for them all.

“Bombings occurred within 3 miles of each other.” Hotch said as he walked back into the main cabin with the file in his hand. “First victim was a 74-year-old widow, Barbara Keller.” He put the photo of the elderly woman, seated in a wheelchair and smiling at the camera, on the table in front of Reid along with the photo of a smiling middle-aged man. “2 hours after that, Clurman got hit in his driveway, and 45 minutes later… well we all saw that.” He placed the photo of the last victim, a smiling young woman in her mid-thirties, on the table in front of Gideon. “Jill Swenson, 34-year-old housewife who lived across the street from Clurman.” He sat down across form Gideon. “Of the three, only Clurman survived.”

“Is there any connection between the victims?” Reid asked as Jade slithered up his leg and curled in his lap, falling asleep as the genius gently rubbed her scales.

“One.” Hotch replied as Sera passed out the coffee. “Clurman was a partner in a $10 million-dollar condo development deal in which Ms. Keller was an investor, and a few weeks ago, the whole deal went bust.” He took the coffee cup from Sera and said, “Thanks.”

She smiled and passed cups to Gideon and JJ who both smiled at her.

“Went bust how?” Elle asked, leaning forward slightly, her notebook open as she took notes. “Thanks, Sera.” She added as the witch handed her a cup.

“A few weeks past, geologists discovered that the land was on methane. As a result, the condominiums were never built, the land became worthless and Mr. Clurman lost many people quite a great deal of money.” Sera replied as she handed Reid his cup and sat down on the sofa with her legs stretched out in front of her. She sent the tray she was using to carry the cups back to the cabinet with a wave of her hand, keeping the cup of tea for herself.

“So maybe one of them was mad enough to take aim at Clurman.” Reid suggested.

“No, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” Gideon cautioned, looking at the photos as they turned to him. “It’s a little too early to theorize about motive.”

“Then where do we start?” Elle asked.

“From the beginning.” Gideon replied. “What do we know about bombers?”

They turned to Reid, who took that as his cue to respond.

“Mostly male, loners, history of criminal activity. About 50% of all bombings are actually the product of vandalism. ”

“And more often than not, bombers accidentally end up blowing themselves up.” Sera added, remembering an old Housemate of hers that was fascinated with explosions. Thankfully, Seamus had never blown himself up, only his eyebrows on a regular basis, and his explosives expertise had come in handy during the Second War. “As such, the first suspects that are always looked at in bombing cases are the victims.”

“Clurman was the only male. Losing a large business deal like that. It could be a powerful stressor.” Elle pointed out.

“Well, then there’s the crime scene.” Gideon added, making them look at him as he picked up the photo of the crime scene. “Clurman was the only victim who didn’t get hit at his door. Why? What was different about this one?”

“Perhaps he was fortunate?” Sera suggested as Gideon looked at the photo.

“Maybe, maybe not.” Gideon replied, putting the photo down and turning to her. “While we’re there, I want you to stay either with Hotch or myself.” Sera cocked her head to the side in confusion as Hotch frowned, also confused. “Preferably Hotch since he can anchor you if, or when, the bomber strikes again and claims more lives.”

They nodded in understanding and the rest of the flight was spent reviewing the case file and speculating different possibilities.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Clurman Residence Crime Scene

“Before Clurman passed out, all he told cops at the time was that he saw the package sitting on his stoop outside his kitchen door.” Hotch said as he looked around the crime scene, his shades covering his eyes as the sun glared down on them.

“Why did he not take it inside?” Sera asked, taking in the area surrounding the scene. She had cast a spell on her rectangle black wire-framed glasses, transitioning them automatically to shades when outdoors.

“Why didn’t it go off until he got to his car?” Reid asked, walking around the front of the wreckage and coming to a stop beside Gideon. Jade was curled around his neck, having shifted from his lap when they got off the plane before going back to sleep. “It’s like 50 feet away.”

“Joe Reese, one of Clurman’s investors, was here before the bomb went off.” Hotch said. “The cops have ruled him out as suspect, but he said he saw Clurman get in the car with the package.”

“So, perhaps Mr. Clurman was not receiving a bomb at all. Perhaps he was on his way to delivering one.” Sera theorized.

“But he drops it or tilts it, and it goes off by accident.” Reid added, carrying on the theory.

“I’d like to talk to Clurman.” Gideon said. The theory had merit, but it was still a theory until they could speak to the man. “In the meantime, let’s get a warrant to search his house.”

They nodded and split up. Gideon and Reid headed to the hospital, while Sera called JJ to get a warrant. After hanging up with the blonde liaison, they had to wait until they got their warrant.

“Hey, Sera?” Elle called hesitantly to the tiny raven-haired witch as they sat in the shade of a large tree while Hotch spoke with the ATF team about the wait for the warrant.

“Yes?”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“How are you able to talk to Jade? Why does it sound like hissing?” Elle looked hesitant but also determined to know. “And how come only Hotch seems to be the one to understand it?”

Sera smiled at the older agent.

“It’s called Parseltongue. The language of the serpent. As for Aaron, we’re not entirely certain how he is able to understand it to be honest. We believe it has to do with our Soul Bond, but it is only speculation.” Sera sighed and looked up at the sky.

“How come your Soul Bond is so strong if you both married other people?” Elle asked with a frown.

“A strong Soul Bond need not be Romantic, Elle. It may be Platonic as well, just as Derek and Penelope’s Bond is. Though they are unable to communicate telepathically as Aaron and I can.” Sera replied gently. As far as they knew, only Sera and Hotch had the ability to communicate telepathically.

“I know. But the way the two of you are together. It’s almost as if the two of you have a Romantic bond rather than a Platonic one.”

“In a way, our Bond is Romantic.” Sera said with a delicate shrug. “Our Bond formed when we were children, and we never really knew it existed. So, when we met again as adults, we were already deeply in love with other people resulting in it establishing as somewhere in between the two forms.”

“But doesn’t it hurt, knowing that he’s in love with someone else?”

“No.” Sera replied honestly. “Think of Aaron and I as best friends who everyone thinks will end up together. Whether in this lifetime or the next.”

Elle nodded, though Sera could tell she was still confused. Sera didn’t blame her. It had been quite a difficult road she, Hotch, Hayley and Raj Singhania- Sera’s late husband- had walked for some time. The Bond had initially formed when the Hotchner family had gone to England for a vacation. Sera had been 6 months old at the time and Hotch had been 9 years old, and because of their tender ages and the distance of their homes, the bond formed as a Platonic one. That visit had been what prompted Hotch’s nickname for her, ‘Snow White’ or ‘Snow’ due to her snow-white skin and rose-red lips. The Bond had helped them through the painful stages of their lives, though they weren’t entirely aware of its’ presence. When they met again as adults, Hotch was married to Hayley and Sera was married to Raj. Learning of the Bond between the two of them, they quickly realized that denying it or trying to suppress it so as not to hurt those they loved most would kill them both. With the blessings of their spouses, they let it grow and flourish as it is meant to. However, despite the two often admitting to loving each other or sharing hotel rooms, or even generally acting as a married couple, they never betrayed the trust their spouses placed in them, never betraying their marriage vows.

Sera’s phone rang, startling her out of her thoughts.

“Potter.” She said, answering the phone as Hotch made his way over to the two women.

“ _Hey, Sera. It’s JJ. I’ve got the warrant, I’m sending a copy with an officer._ ”

“Okay. Thank you.”

“ _You’re welcome._ ”

Saying their good-byes, the two hung up as Hotch and Elle looked at her.

“Jennifer has the warrant. She is sending a copy with an officer. It should be here within a few moments.”

They nodded, and Elle walked away, towards the house while Hotch looked at her.

“You okay Snow?” he asked with a slight frown. “Your emotions are…”

“I’m all right Aaron.” She reassured him with a radiant smile, putting a hand on his arm. “Elle was asking about the Bond, it brought up memories.”

Hotch nodded as an officer came up to them.

“Agent Hotchner? Dr. Potter?”

“Yes?” Hotch asked, turning to the young officer dressed in a police uniform.

“I have the warrant and a detective is on his way.” He replied, panting slightly as he handed a sealed envelope to Hotch.

Elle, seeing the officer run up, came over as Hotch opened the envelope and read over the warrant before handing it to Elle, who read it and walked away, towards the ATF team that was waiting for the go-ahead to enter the house.

“Officer, did run here?” Sera asked, looking up at the man in scrutiny.

“Yes, ma’am, I did.”

“Here. Drink this.” Sera said, pulling a bottle of water out of her purse, opening it and handing it to him.

He took it with a word of thanks and drank a few large sips before lowering it and moving to recap it.

“I don’t think so.” Sera said, seeing the action. “You are going to finish that bottle of water, then you are going to take a few minutes to recuperate before returning to any duties you may have.” She finished the order with a stern look.

The officer looked helplessly at Hotch, who laughed at the expression.

“I wouldn’t argue with her.” He said to the unasked question.

The officer sighed and proceeded to sit down and drink the water in slightly smaller sips. Seeing that her orders were being followed, Sera and Hotch followed Elle to the house, where they met the ATF team leader.

“Agents.” The man greeted them on the doorstep. “My team is inside.”

The tech proceeded to update them on what they have discovered thus far.

“Where is your team right now?” Hotch asked as Elle’s phone rang.

“Down in the garage.” The man replied as she stepped to the side slightly and answered her phone.

“After they finish with the garage, make sure they check the attic.” Hotch said.

The man nodded and headed down the steps as a man wearing a detective’s shield on a chain around his neck walked up to them.

“Agent Hotchner?” he asked.

“Yes, sir?” Hotch asked, turning around and seeing the man.

“Agent Morrison, Palm Beach PD.” He said, holding his hand out to the senior agent. “I’m lead on the case.”

“Nice to meet you.” Hotch said, shaking the man’s hand as Elle ended her phone call. He gestured to the recent transfer to the Unit. “This is Agent Greenaway.” Elle smiled and shook the man’s hand. “And Dr. Potter.” Sera smiled radiantly and shook the man’s hand as well, though she earned a slightly raised eyebrow at her attire. The man, struck by the regality and elegance of the young woman, joined them on the stoop as Hotch continued, “Agents Reid and Gideon are at the hospital. I think you met Agent Jareau at the station house.”

“Oh, yeah. She’s taken over the place.” Morrison said with a chuckle.

“She does that.” Elle said with a smile.

“Thus far, ATF has not found any hard evidence.” Sera said as they walked into the house. “Only kitchen timers, tape recorders and electrical switches.”

“Yeah. It is amazing how many household items count as potential bomb making materials.” Morrison told them as he closed the door behind him.

Sera nodded, fully aware of that fact. Seamus had managed to turn even their quills and inkpots into explosives, though he had used magic to make it possible, so she wasn’t too surprised how items that even children sometimes play with can be turned into such devastating devices.

Glancing around the first floor of the house, they saw several ATF agents scouring the kitchen, the sitting room, the foyer and the hallway, along with the rooms further in the house.

They turned at the sound of the door closing by the kitchen as a middle-aged woman entered.

“Hello?” she asked as she walked into the kitchen. Seeing the ATF agent looking through the kitchen cupboards she stalked towards the three FBI agents and the Detective. “Excuse me! What’s going on here?”

“Mrs. Clurman.” Morrison told them quietly and Hotch nodded in understanding, turning to the distraught and angry woman.

“Mrs. Clurman, my name is Special Agent Aaron Hotchner with the FBI.” He said as he took out his badge and showed it to her before tucking it back into his blazer pocket.

“What are you doing in my house?” she asked, her emotions going from angry to distraught and confused.

“There’s a copy of the warrant on the table.” Hotch said as Elle gestured to Morrison to get it. “I know this is hard to believe, but we just need to cover all of our bases. We need to make sure your husband was not involved in anyway.” Hotch was trying to be reassuring but wasn’t very successful.

“Involved?” Mrs. Clurman repeated incredulously. “My husband is lying in the hospital with his leg blown off. What are you talking about?!” by that point, she was working up to being hysterical, angry tears slipping down her cheeks.

Sera went to the sink and poured her some water, handing her the glass and coaxing her to take a few sips as Elle spoke.

“Mrs. Clurman, there are some questions that your husband needs to answer. And the sooner we can talk to him and clear him, the sooner we can find the person who is responsible.”

Mrs. Clurman let out a breath as she handed the glass back to Sera, who took it back to the sink.

“Agent Hotchner? Dr. Potter?” the ATF team leader called, prompting them to turn and look at him. “We’ve got something.”

Hotch, Elle and Sera looked between the ATF Agent and Mrs. Clurman before following the Agent up to the attic.

Once there, they were shown a toolkit that had bomb-making materials and a copy of ‘The Anarchist’s Companion’. After questioning Mrs. Clurman, they learned that she had no knowledge of the tool-kit’s existence.

This left the three BAU agents and the ATF team hoping that Reid and Gideon would be able to learn something from Mr. Clurman that could help them.

Hotch, Elle and Sera left the attic with Mrs. Clurman, Sera gently leading the distraught woman to her bedroom, urging her to rest for as long as she could. Once the older woman was settled, Sera joined Hotch in the kitchen.

“Mrs. Clurman’s in her room. Hopefully she will be able to get some rest, but…” Sera trailed off as she looked out the window.

“But it’s highly unlikely until we can clear this up.” Hotch finished the sentence, putting his arms on her shoulders and squeezing gently.

Hotch’s phone rang, and he pulled it out of his pocket.

“Hello?” he said, answering the call and bending slightly so that Sera could hear the conversation.

 _“This isn’t our guy.”_ Gideon told them. _“His answers were coherent, even while he was sedated. He’s got a sense of humor, displays empathy…”_

“ _Not to mention he has a hobby completely unrelated to bomb-making._ ” Reid added as Hotch and Sera looked at each other.

 _“This is nothing like a typical bomber profile.”_ Gideon continued.

“What about the materials that had been found?” Hotch asked.

“ _Well, we’ll see if the fragments match at the bomb scene, but I doubt they will._ ” He replied.

“Okay.” Hotch said as he hung up the phone, Elle coming up to them with a framed photograph in her hands.

“Look at this,” Elle said, showing them the photograph. “This is their nephew in Texas.” Sera took the photograph and looked at it with Hotch looking over her shoulder as the older woman continued to speak. “And according to Mrs. Clurman, he was staying with them for a month and left last week.”

“Mercury switches are a little sophisticated for a 12-year-old kid.” Hotch said as he looked at Elle.

“I’m not saying he’s the unsub.” Elle said as Sera looked at her, handing the photograph back. “But boys his age like to blow stuff up.”

“She has a point.” Sera said, looing up at Hotch, who looked between the two women. “Remember Seamus? He was 11 when he attempted to turn a goblet of water into rum.”

“I’ll call Morrison. He’ll contact local P.D. in Texas.” Hotch said, nodding his understanding of their point. “They’ll pick up the kid and talk to him.”

Elle nodded, smiling brightly as Hotch opened his cell phone and began dialing while Sera fiddled with her wedding necklace, silently praying that it wasn’t the boy.

“You knew an 11-year-old who tried to turn water into rum?” Elle asked Sera, looking down at her.

“Yes.” Sera replied before adding with a grin. “It didn’t quite turn out how he expected.”

“How did it turn out?” Elle asked in a tone that implied that she was slightly scared of the response.

“He blew his eyebrows off.” Sera replied cheerfully as Hotch listened to the two, his conversation with Morrison over.

Elle looked at her with wide eyes, shock coloring her face before she shook her head and turn around, walking out of the kitchen. Sera laughed at her expression as they watched the Muggle agent leave.

Nearly an hour later, Sera got a call from Morgan that had her frantically getting Hotch and telling him what Morgan had discovered.

Morgan told her that the bombs were made by someone they knew, someone who was currently serving a life sentence in federal prison.

XXXXXXXXX

Palm Beach Police Department – Conference Room

“Derek emailed these over.” Sera said as she sat at the table in the precinct conference room the next day and looked at the laptop in front of her. Hotch, Elle and Reid were standing behind her chair with Detective Morrison leaning against the blackboard and Gideon pacing the length of the table. “The three on the left are the bombs from yesterday. The one on the right is from the Evidence Room at Quantico.”

Sera was wearing a floor-length emerald green laced back medieval dress, stretched gently over her bump, with a round neck and double-layered sleeves, the first layer splitting open just above the elbows revealing the second layer that was fitted to her wrist*, with her belt tied around her hips holding her dagger and gun holster. She had the matching emerald green 4” heeled pumps on her feet, her wedding rings on her left hand, her Gryffindor class ring and charm bracelet on her right hand and her wedding necklace around her neck, hanging to her breastbone. Her hair was in the same 5-strand French braid as the previous day, her fringe tucked behind one ear with the vermillion in the center of her hairline. She had an emerald green leaf bindi on her forehead, between her eyebrows and her rectangle black wire-framed glasses perched on her nose.

Morrison and Gideon leaned their palms against the table and looked at the screen with the four photos.

“They’re all identical.” Reid said. “Made with steel reinforcement rods.”

“Adrian Bale.” Gideon said, rubbing his hand over his face before retaking his previous position, leaning against the table.

Sera couldn’t help but remember the headlines from the Boston Sentinel, “ _Shrapnel Blast Kills Six”_ with a photograph of a distraught Gideon with bloody hands. She remembered the pained scream that tore from her throat as she felt the six agents and the hostage die, Hotch holding her up as she lost her footing and began to collapse to the ground, and him helping her channel the pain until the souls were taken beyond the Planes of the Living and out of her sensing range.

“Who?” Morrison asked, confused.

The question brought Sera back to the present, feeling Hotch put a gentle hand on her shoulder as Gideon covered her tiny hand with his larger one, remembering the same thing she was. She flipped her hand over so that she could squeeze his, inter-locking their fingers tightly.

“He held our agents in a standoff in Boston last year. He took out 6 agents and a hostage with one of his bombs.” Hotch explained, his hand still on Sera’s shoulder as Gideon removed his hand from the witch’s hold.

“So you’re thinking he’s behind this?” Elle asked.

Gideon stood straight and moved away, walking around the table from behind them and sitting at the other end.

“It is possible.” Sera said softly. “However, he is in prison, sentenced for life.”

“He _has_ had a kind of a cult following.” Reid pointed out. “Almost like Charles Manson. It could just be a copycat.”

Gideon picked up a water bottle, opened it and took a large gulp, finishing a good quarter of the bottle in one move. Jade, who had been curled around Hotch’s neck since they left the hotel that morning, slid down the agent’s muscled figure and made her way over to Gideon, slithering up his arm and licking his cheek in reassurance a few times before settling around his neck.

“There’s one way to find out.” Morrison said. “Let’s put the screws to this guy.”

“No, no, no. Bale’s too smart.” Gideon said, lowering the bottle and shaking his head before going on to explain. He absently rubbed the serpent’s tiny head as he spoke. “If we want information from him, we have to handle him carefully.” He shrugged disparagingly. “Even then, you have to assume that road will lead nowhere.”

“You’re saying the connection to Bale doesn’t help us at all?” Morrison asked, trying not let his despair and indignation cloud him.

“No. I’m just saying let us handle Bale.” Gideon replied.

“Look, we just heard from local Texas P.D.” Morrison said, “You were right about Clurman’s nephew.” He nodded briefly at Elle. “He admitted the bomb stuff was his, which is great for the Clurmans, but it leaves us with zero suspects. So what do you suggest my men do now?”

“Proceed from the profile.” Gideon replied.

Morrison looked at the five BAU team members in the room before focusing back on Gideon.

“I didn’t know we had a profile.” He said with a slight chuckle.

“We have a profile.” Sera said, standing and looking up at the well-built detective. “Please gather your officers in the bullpen so we can give it to you.”

Morrison nodded, struck again by the regality and elegance of the tiny witch in front of him despite the shadowed pain and sorrow in her eyes, before walking out. Sera let out a breath once the man was out of sight, Hotch pulling her in for a one-armed hug as Reid went over to Gideon and put a hand on his mentor’s shoulder in support. Gideon reached up and squeezed the young genius’ hand before standing up and leading them out and into the bullpen, each of their professional masks once more in place.

As Sera had requested, the officers were all in the bullpen, some seated at the tables and others standing around the walls of the room. Most of them had their notebooks out and were ready to take notes.

Elle and Reid sat on one of the desks with Morrison leaning back against it, Sera sat on a padded-back chair by the wall with Hotch beside her as he kept a hand on the back of her chair while Gideon began giving the profile, standing between the two of the long tables.

“We’re dealing with a bomber. We’re talking about someone who’s non-confrontational.” The senior-most agent began, walking between the two tables he had been standing between. “If you bumped into him in a café, he’d apologize, even if it wasn’t his fault.”

“We would classify this bomber as highly organized, based on the meticulous design of his bombs.” Hotch said, taking over as Gideon walked over and stood by the wall. “It means above average intelligence. He probably has a skilled job, a trade, one that allows him to work alone. That’s how he was able to make a sophisticated device without raising suspicion. Furniture maker, jeweler etc.”

“Background in explosives?” Morrison asked.

“No. Not necessarily.” Sera replied. “You are thinking of the ones who enjoy blowing things up. This gives them an emotional or a sexual release. For them, death is in fact, secondary.”

“Then what’s this guy doing?” a uniformed officer asked, a slight frown of confusion on his face.

“Murdering.” Sera replied. “The bombs are his weapon. And these attacks are not at all random.”

“Well, how do you know that?” the same officer asked.

“The process of elimination.” Hotch replied. “We know bombers fall into a discreet number of categories according to motive. There’s the terrorist whose aim is to spread fear. We’d expect him to strike in a populous area like a subway. There’s the politically motivated bomber. He makes a statement by choosing a symbolic target like an abortion clinic. Then there’s our unsub. He made bombs designed to kill and he chose his victims specifically by placing the bombs at their stoops. This tells us he has a direct motive. Statistically, he bombs for profit or to conceal a crime. And it tells us how we’re going to find him – through the people he killed.”

“Somewhere among the three victims there is a direct motive. Keep digging.” Gideon finished.

“Thank you.” Sera said, smiling radiantly at the brave men and women in the room. “If you have any questions, we will be near to answer them.”

“You’ll be near. I’ll be in prison.” Gideon told the Soul-Mate pair, causing the two to look at each other before looking back at the agent. “Somebody’s gotta talk to Bale.”

With those words, Gideon – with Jade still around his neck and making no indication to move - weaved his way through the officers and detectives that were moving around to begin their task and left the building, Reid following close behind.

With the detectives and officers working in the bullpen, Sera, Hotch and Elle moved to the conference room were there was a large pile of files waiting for them.

Two hours later, JJ walked in to the conference room where the three agents were looking through far too many files and documents to count.

“How we doing?” the blonde asked, glancing briefly at them before looking back at her phone.

“Frustrated.” Elle replied, putting down one document and picking up another. She was seated at the head of the table with Hotch and Sera on either side of her. “I can’t see why anyone would want to kill a little old lady who collects cats and coins.”

“Unless someone desired the coins.” Sera commented, putting the document in her hand down before taking off her glasses and rubbing her temples a few times then putting her glasses back on.

“Yeah. I spent a good chunk of my childhood looking for a 1944 penny worth thousands.” Hotch added, not looking up from the paper in his hand. Noticing Elle look at him strangely, he glanced at her briefly before looking back at the paper as he added, “Yes, I was a little bit of a nerd. Is that so surprising?”

“Not to me.” Elle replied as she, Sera and JJ exchanged amused glances.

Hotch, feeling the amusement from Sera, as well as seeing the looks between the three female agents rolled his eyes as the conference room phone rang.

“Morgan?” he asked after he answered the call, keeping it on speaker so they could all hear.

 _“Yeah. I just got the lab results from the powder residues on the bombs.”_ Sera could almost hear the man pacing as he spoke to them. _“Ammonia nitrate, potassium chloride, and aluminum powder. Nobody uses that mixture, Hotch.”_

“None except Mr. Bale.” Sera said in a somber tone, her tiny frame tensing at the memory of what the man had cost them and so many others, including Gideon.

Hearing her tone and feeling her turbulent emotions, Hotch sent a wave of reassurance through to her through their Bond, receiving a grateful smile in return as she relaxed slightly.

 _“That’s right.”_ Morgan agreed. _“And the closer I look at these things, the more they’re the same. Same weld pattern, same switch assembly, same thread sizing. It’s weird, you guys.”_

“This man isn’t building bombs.” Sera said with wide eyes as she realized what Morgan was saying. “He’s _forging_ them.”

 _“That’s the other reason I’m calling you.”_ Morgan said. “ _Bale wrote addresses on his packages in block letters with blue ink. I’m thinking our guy’s doing the same.”_

“Okay, I’ll set up a press conference.” JJ said, rapidly typing on her phone. “Make sure the public knows.”

“Jennifer, here.” Sera said, conjuring a light green-grey blazer that matched her outfit for her to wear during the press conference.

“Thanks Morgan.” Hotch said, hanging up the call as JJ took the blazer with a smile and left the room.

Seconds later, his cell rang. He looked at it and excused himself from the table, going to the furthest corner of the room before answering the call.

Sera and Elle returned to the documents with identical sighs. A few minutes later, when Hotch returned to the table, Sera felt the irritation pouring off the older man.

 _“Aaron?”_ she asked mentally, glancing up at him.

 _“Agent Halloway.”_ He replied mentally, glancing at her for a second before turning back to the documents they were combing through. _“She was asking if we’re in a position to make a deal with Bale, if we’re willing to do it.”_

 _“Half of Florida_ is _in a panic. They want to ensure that they can maintain peace and keep the death toll to as much of a minimum as possible.”_ Sera reminded him, knowing from experience that those who spent most of their time in their offices tended to be willing to make deals with the devils in order to maintain some semblance of peace and order.

 _“I know. But there has to be another choice.”_ He said, his tone almost desperate as he remembered the pain that Sera and Gideon had been through because of Bale.

Sera smiled sadly and sent him a wave of reassurance and love. As always, the conversation occurred while they worked.

Elle, who had noticed the irritation on the senior agent’s face also noticed the change in him after he sat down. She looked between the pair who were looking through the documents and shrugged, figuring it had something to do with their Bond. She wanted to ask what it was, but decided against it, realizing that it wasn’t the time.

Moments after JJ’s press conference ended, which they could hear in the background playing live on the TV as it occurred outside the precinct, there was a call from a frantic mother saying that her daughter was holding a package that JJ had described and cautioned as being dangerous.

XXXXXXXX

Hotch, Morrison and Sera got out of the SUV in front of the house, the ATF unit getting out from the truck behind them. They saw the mother on her knees in front of her daughter, Emily, on the front stoop, helping the little girl hold the package. Both had tears in their eyes and streaming down their faces, the little girl trembling slightly with fear and pain from the strain of holding still.

“Listen, the first thing we need to do is get the mother out of there.” Hotch told ATF Agent, Dan Tracy.

“Got it.” He said as he and the other agent, wearing a blue ATF shirt, crossed the police tape and ran to the stoop with reassuring smiles on their faces.

Hotch had his phone held to his ear as Morrison and Sera watched the two ATF agents, Tracy setting up the portable table that would hopefully keep the package steady while his partner stayed back slightly.

“No, no body armor.” Hotch said into the phone as he listened to what was being said on the other end. “I don’t want to scare the little girl.”

“The mother isn’t moving.” Morrison said. “Why isn’t she moving?”

“She will not leave her child in such danger.” Sera replied, seeing the adamant expression on the woman’s face.

Despite the fear and terror that the woman was feeling, she wasn’t going to leave her daughter when she was in danger.

As they watched, it was several tense seconds before Emily and her mother stepped away from the package. An ATF agent ran up to them while the mother picked Emily up and carried her as they were ushered towards the police tape.

Sera reached out and gently guided the two to a police cruiser, pulling out water bottles from her purse and handing them to the pair.

“Thank you.” The mother said breathlessly through her tears, taking a bottle with one hand as she held her daughter in her lap.

Sera, seeing that the woman didn’t want to let go of her child and understanding the feeling, opened the bottles for them and waited while they drank large gulps, quenching their sudden thirst.

“You were very brave, little one.” Sera told Emily with a gentle smile on her face, speaking in a soothing tone she used with her own children when they were afraid.

“I was so scared.” The little girl admitted, her tears slowly drying on her round cheeks.

“And yet, you refused to give up.” Sera replied, kneeling slightly so that she was level with the little girl. “That is the mark of true bravery. Refusing to give in despite your fear.”

“Are you okay?” the mother asked, taking note of the gentle curve of the female agent’s belly. “Do you want to sit down?”

“I am all right.” Sera replied with a smile.

“What’s that on your forehead?” Emily asked curiously, after taking a few sips of water. “The red stuff by your hair?”

Sera laughed lightly as she smiled, glad that the events of the past several minutes weren’t likely to cause long-term trauma to the sweet child.

“It is called _sindoor_ or _vermillion_ in English.” Sera replied, pointing to the area in question. “It is worn by married Hindu women as a symbol of their married status.”

“You talk funny.” She said, cocking her head to the side as she played with the now empty bottle of water.

“Well, that would be because I am from England.”

“Wow.” The girl’s eyes were wide as her mother smiled, her grip on the child never loosening though her shoulders relaxed slightly.

“Snow.” Came Hotch’s voice from behind her, causing the woman to jump slightly and whirl around in surprise.

“Aaron! You startled me!” Sera exclaimed, a hand on her chest as she calmed her rapid heart rate.

“Sorry.” He said with a chuckle, not sounding sorry at all.

Sera glared at him for a moment before he stopped laughing and became serious.

“We’re getting ready to return to the precinct.” He told her, mentally adding, _“We have the package. The ATF unit is taking it back to dismantle it safely.”_

Sera nodded to the verbal and non-verbal update, turning to the little girl and her mother.

“I must return to work. You were amazing. Both of you.”

The pair smiled at the witch as she turned around and walked away, her arm in the crook of the male agent’s arm as he led her to the SUV.

“She’s really pretty, mommy.” The little girl told the older woman as they watched the retreating pair.

“Yes, she is.” The mother agreed, mentally noting the regal way the raven-haired agent walked and had spoken to them.

Hotch held the door of the SUV open for Sera as she climbed in before climbing into the driver’s side, Morrison seated in the passenger seat.

XXXXXX

When they returned to the precinct, Morrison joined a group of detectives to get an update on what they had discovered so far while Sera’s phone rang.

“Potter.” She said, answering the phone.

 _“Hey, it’s Jason.”_ Gideon said on the other end. _“Hotch with you? I’ve got an update.”_

“One moment.” She said into the phone before covering the mouthpiece and calling to the agent slightly in front of her. “Aaron.” When he turned to look at her, she continued, “Jason wishes to speak to the both of us.” He nodded and moved to stand next to her, bending slightly so that he could hear the conversation. “Okay, what is it you wished for us to know?”

_“Bale might be part of this, but he’s not in control. If he were, he would’ve taunted me with specifics.”_

“So, what’s our next move?” Hotch asked, moving the hand Sera was using to hold the phone to his mouth so that he could speak into the mouth piece before letting her move it back to its previous place by her ear.

 _“I let Bale know the unsub’s using his designs.”_ Gideon told them as Hotch took a file that an officer held out to him.

“Bait.” Sera said.

 _“Yeah, exactly. If Bale wasn’t part of it before, he’ll sure want to be part of it now_.” With that, Gideon ended the call as Sera and Hotch looked at each other briefly before looking at the file that Hotch had in his hand.

“I might have something.” Elle said as she walked up to them a few minutes later, making the pair look at her. “Barbara Keller was having trouble insuring some coins she bought. The insurance company thought they might be fake.”

“So, the insurance company decided to blow up those clients that annoy them?” Sera asked with a raised eye-brow, only half sarcastic.

“What if someone sold her the fake coins? She’s onto him, he shuts her up.” Elle theorized.

“Were these coins valuable enough to kill over?” Hotch asked, looking down at the file in his hands and flipping the page as he asked his question.

“She told the insurance company she thought they might be worth $12 000.” Elle replied, making Hotch looking at her.

“Are you aware of who sold her the coins?” Sera asked.

“No.” Elle admitted. “But she had an appointment with a coin dealer scheduled.” Elle shrugged as she told them her theory. “I’m guessing to challenge the insurance company’s appraisal. A guy named David Walker.”

“Maybe he can help us figure out who sold her the coins.” Hotch said as Elle nodded in agreement.

“That’s what I was thinking.” Elle said. “I can go to his house and talk to him.”

“All right.” Sera nodded. “Care for some compa-”

Before Sera could finish her question, her hand flew to her bump as her face took on a green tinge. With eyes wide and her other hand on her mouth, she ran towards the bathroom as Hotch and Elle watched.

“I guess I’m going on my own.” Elle said cheerfully as Hotch nodded.

With a caution to be careful, Elle left the precinct and Hotch followed Sera towards the bathroom, stopping outside the door.

“Snow?” he asked, knocking on the door. “You okay?”

“Yes. I’ll be out momentarily.” Sera called back and Hotch could hear her flushing the toilet and the water running. Moments later, Sera came out of the bathroom rubbing the swell of her belly. She glanced up at him, taking in his slightly worried expression, and quipped, “One would believe I would be used to this by now.”

“If that was meant to make me worry less, it’s not working.” He told her, smiling at her attempt to lighten the worry.

“It was worth the attempt.” She replied before taking note of Elle’s lacking presence. “Elle went to speak with the Antiquities Dealer?”

“Yeah.” Hotch nodded as they walked back to the main area of the bullpen as Hotch’s phone rang. He answered it with a curt “Hotchner” as he listened to what was being said. At Sera’s questioning glance, he mouthed ‘Reid’.

He made a motion of writing something, silently asking for paper and a pen. She picked up a notepad and a pen, handing them to him.

“Okay, shoot.” Hotch told Reid, pencil in his left hand, poised to write, and phone held to his ear with his right. He spoke as he wrote, “David Walk...”

He trailed off, straightening up as the two agents looked at each other and back at the half-written name.

“Elle.” They said in unison.

“I gotta call you back.” Hotch told Reid, cancelling the call as Sera dialed Elle’s number.

_“Yeah.”_

“Elle. It’s him. It’s Walker.” Sera said urgently, hearing the sound of a car motor in the background.

There was no reply from Elle, but Sera hear her scream, _“Get out of the way!”_ before hearing the sound of rapid gunshots.

Sera and Hotch looked at each other with wide eyes.

“Elle! Elle!” Sera yelled into the phone, Hotch taking it out of her hand so that she wouldn’t accidentally short-circuit it with her magic.

 _“You guys should get here. And bring an ambulance.”_ Elle said several tense minutes later. _“It’s not for me. It’s for Mrs. Walker. She was hit by Walker’s car as he got away.”_

XXXXXXXXXX

Arriving at the Walker residence, Hotch and Sera saw the ambulance had already arrived and the paramedics were with Mrs. Walker strapped to a gurney, Elle watching as she leaned against the house with her arms folded across her chest. The two agents walked over to Elle as she glanced at them in acknowledgement.

 “You okay?” Hotch asked the brunette as she pushed off the wall and stood straight.

“Yeah. I’m all right.” She replied, nodding. “But Mrs. Walker…”

“Yes, the man is quite the courteous fellow.” Sera said sarcastically, looking back at the ambulance where the paramedics were loading the middle-aged woman in to the back.

“Morrison’s got a county-wide search out for the car. Uniforms are going to try to find out where his haunts are. ATF should be here any minute.” Hotch told Elle.

“Are you certain you are all right?” Sera asked, looking up at the older agent.

“Mrs. Walker said her husband spent most of his time in the garage.” Elle said after nodding to Sera’s question. The brunette gestured to the garage behind them.

“Let’s check it out.” Hotch said before leading the two female agents to the garage’s walk-in door, a uniformed officer following them.

Finding the door to be locked, Sera stepped up while Hotch and Elle stood behind her and covering her use of magic.

“ _Alohomora._ ” Sera whispered, waving her hand at the lock and hearing the locking mechanism click open.

She moved to turn the door knob when the officer stopped her.

“Let me go first. It could be booby trapped.” He said to her questioning glance.

She nodded and stepped back, letting the officer take the lead. He slowly opened the door and walked inside, the three agents behind him. Inside, Hotch closed the door behind them as they looked around.

“Well, we were correct about him being organized.” Sera commented, taking in the neat and uniform order of the work space.

“What’s this?” Elle asked, looking at an electroplating device on one of the tables.

It had two wires plugged in while a coin was clipped to the other end of one of the wires. That end was resting gently in a glass container.

“It’s for electroplating.” Hotch replied as the three agents looked closer at it.

“Look at the date on the coin.” Sera said as she held the wire end that held the coin up for the other two to see.

“It’s half gone.” Elle stated.

“He was using this to build up the metal so he could change the date of the coin.” Hotch said in realization.

“To increase the value.” Elle said.

“Exactly.”

“As he had done with Barbara Keller’s coins.” Sera said.

“Look over here.” The officer, who had walked over to another side of the workshop, called out to them. “Check this out.”

They went to him and looked at what had caught his attention.

On a bulletin board on the wall, there were several news clippings of the bombing case in Boston from 6 months earlier. One of the clippings, the article stating Bale as the main suspect, had a notation added to it; ‘ _the best_ ’ was written beside Bale’s name which had been circled for emphasis.

“The best.” Sera said, reading the notation. “So this was the reason he chose to use Mr. Bale’s design.”

Hotch, recognizing the rising pain coming from Sera, took her tiny hand in his as Elle noticed the tarp covering the table beneath the bulletin board.

“He was working on something.” She said, removing the tarp and revealing the materials for another bomb.

“Please be certain that Detective Morrison tells your officers that this man is smart, dangerous and has absolutely nothing left to lose.” Sera told the officer, who nodded in understanding and left the garage seconds later to follow through on the order.

XXXXXXXX

The next day, Sera, Hotch and Elle picked Gideon up from the airport before returning to the precinct – Jade having decided to stay with Reid rather than return with Gideon. They were met by Morrison just inside the building as he brought them up to speed.

“So far, nothing from the search.” He told them as they walked into the bullpen.

“Well, what do we know about Walker?” Gideon asked.

“He’s a quiet career criminal.” Morrison began as they came to a stop in the middle of the bullpen, Gideon putting his go-bag on the ground and Elle taking notes in her little notebook. Sera sat on a chair by a vacant desk as Morrison continued his brief on Walker. “Spent four years in prison for a series of forged checks when he was in his early twenties. He’s now 46. The past 18 years, he owned a store which sold coins, maps and historical documents. We raided the place as soon as you gave us Walker’s name. Most of the inventory was fake, forgeries valued in the millions.”

“The walls had started to close in on him. We talked to some of his clients and he was in debt up to his ears and promising stuff he didn’t have time to forge.” Hotch said.

“At which point, Barbara Keller discovered that the coins in her possession that he had sold her were fake. She threatened to reveal his secret.” Sera added.

The witch was now wearing a floor-length black and gold laced back medieval dress with a round neck and double-layered sleeves, the first layer splitting open just above the elbows revealing the second layer that was fitted to her wrist*, stretched gently over her bump, with her belt tied around her hips holding her dagger and gun holster. She had the matching black 4” heeled pumps on her feet, her wedding rings on her left hand, her Gryffindor class ring and charm bracelet on her right hand and her wedding necklace around her neck, hanging to her breastbone. Her hair was in the same 5-strand French braid as the previous day, her fringe tucked behind one ear with the vermillion in the center of her hairline. She had a black leaf bindi on her forehead, between her eyebrows and her rectangle black wire-framed glasses perched on her nose.

“And if she had, all the forgeries would’ve been discovered. He would have done 20 years.” Hotch finished.

“So he had to shut her up?” Gideon asked in summary.

Hotch, Sera and Elle nodded.

“He planted all those bombs to kill one little old lady?” Gideon asked incredulously.

“And to send us of his scent. He made it appear as though it was much bigger than it truly was.” Sera added, an irritated and slightly angry look on her face.

When she, Hotch and Elle had realized the truth, Hotch had a difficult time keeping Sera calm. Her fury for the poor souls that had been taken just because some idiot wanted to conceal his crimes was intense; the wind around them had blown wildly and getting more powerful as the seconds passed as she began releasing the chains that tightly reigned in her magic.

Feeling the anger coming from the Bond and knowing what was coming, Hotch quickly grabbed Sera’s hand and rubbed soothing circles into the back of her palm, calming her down before she could release a wave of magic that would short-circuit every electrical device within a 10-mile radius. The last time it had happened, it took 3 days before everything had been repaired and back to normal, not to mention the Bureau had a difficult time covering it up even with the help of the American Ministry of Magic.

“Do you hear me? I said stop _now_.” They heard a commanding voice say, causing them to turn towards the sound.

A man walked into the main area of the bullpen, wearing a dark sweater.

“Please,” he pleaded as he opened his sweater revealing a necklace bomb around his neck connected to the arming mechanism strapped to his chest. “Help me.”

The officers and detectives in the bullpen immediately pulled out their weapons and aimed them at him. The four agents were the only ones that didn’t pull out their weapons, though they were on alert, Sera standing up and Hotch moving slightly so that he was standing protectively in front of Sera, though not blocking her view.

“Everyone, back. Now.” Morrison ordered. “We need the bomb squad in here.”

“Please.” The man pleaded, holding his hands out in front of him. “It’s not me.”

“Don’t come any closer.” Morrison ordered, not hearing the pleas. “Put your hands up and walk slowly back out.”

The man put his hands p as ordered as he replied shakily, “I can’t. He’ll kill me.”

“Who will?” Sera asked, stepping out slightly from behind Hotch so that she could be seen, though holding his arm in reassurance when he mentally told her to stay behind him.

“I don’t know.” The man replied. “He held a gun to me. Put this on me. He said… you’ll know who he is.”

“What does he want?” Gideon asked, hands out in front of him in a non-threatening manner.

“A helicopter. And passport. He’s watching. Once he get what he wants, he’s got instructions to diffuse the bomb.”

“Walker’s close by.” Gideon quietly told Morrison.

“Let’s get snipers surrounding the perimeter.” Morrison ordered the uniforms in response.

As a uniformed officer relayed the order into his walkie-talkie, Gideon slowly walked forwards toward the shaking and sweating man.

“Okay. We understand. We’re not going to leave you.” The senior agent said reassuringly, a gentle smile on his face.

“Please, take it off.” The man pleaded.

“We need to figure out how the bomb’s put together first.” Gideon told him as Hotch and Sera slowly inched forwards as well, Sera with a tight grip on Hotch’s arm as he had the tiny hand covered with his own.

“Tracy, you’re in.” an officer said as Agent Tracy came forward with a camera and snapped a series of photos of the bomb before stepping back slightly.

The entire time, the man was trembling and whimpering, his imagination running wild as he felt the weight of the bomb around his neck. Sera, seeing the fear written all over his face, reached out and took the man’s trembling hand in her own free one, letting him squeeze it tightly.

Agent Tracy gestured towards the conference room and Hotch, Elle and Morrison followed him in while Sera and Gideon stayed with the man.

“Where are they going?” the man asked, seeing them leave.

“They’re going to try and find a way to get this bomb off of you. See if there’s a way to get it off.” Gideon told him, reassuring yet honest.

The man whimpered in fear, squeezing Sera’s hand tightly.

“What’s your name?” Sera asked several seconds later.

The sudden question, combined with the genuine curiosity on her radiant face surprised everyone, particularly the man.

“Ch-Chicu Reddy.” He replied, stuttering slightly but looking surprised at the sudden question.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Reddy. I’m Seraphina Potter, but please call me Sera.” Sera said, looking up at the terrified man with radiant and genuine smile.

Gideon, seeing the man, Chicu Reddy, calm down slightly, smiled as the other officers and detectives in the bullpen looked at her in amazement.

“Here Sera, sit.” Gideon said, bringing a chair behind the pregnant witch and gently urging her to sit down. At her frown, and seeing her about to argue, he said, “Hotch said you had a particularly bad case of morning sickness and you won’t have to let go of Chicu’s hand.”

At the reassurance, Sera sat down as she stuck her tongue out at the senior agent. Gideon laughed in response, flicking her forehead, just above the black bindi.

“You’re pregnant?” Reddy asked looking at her in shock as he noticed the admittedly obvious baby bump, making the two agents look back at him.

“Yes.” Sera replied cheerfully. “22 weeks.”

 “You shouldn’t be here. It isn’t safe!” Reddy cried, letting go of her hand.

“Out of all of those present, I am the safest.” Sera said reassuringly with a mysterious smile on her face as she took the man’s hand once more and squeezing it gently.

Reddy looked at Gideon helplessly, his fear now not only for himself but the innocent child in this sweet woman’s womb.

“Don’t worry.” Gideon said reassuringly.

Sera cocked her head to the side as she looked through the glass window of the conference room.

 _“What is it?”_ she asked Hotch mentally.

_“According to Tracy, tampering with it in anyway could set it off. And with the way the wires are threaded all around the collar, it could be booby trapped.”_

_“So simply cutting the device off of him is not an option.”_ Sera stated rather than asked.

_“Exactly. And there could be a hidden secondary trigger. But he would have to x-ray it, try to figure out how it was made before he can try disarming it.”_

_“Aaron, Mr. Reddy does not have that much time!”_ Sera mentally exclaimed, her eyes widening slightly.

_“I know. We have under three hours.”_

Gideon, seeing the signs of the mental communication between the soul mates, looked at Sera as she turned to him. At his questioning glance, Sera shook her head sadly and he sighed.

Reddy, who didn’t realize that there had been a mental conversation occurring over the past several minutes, realized that something was up when he saw the regal woman holding his hand shake her head at the older man’s questioning glance.

“What is it?” he asked frantically, looking between Sera, Gideon and the window behind which the small group was.

“We need to go outside.” Gideon said softly, gesturing to the door.

“No!” Reddy exclaimed, stepping back slightly and letting go of Sera’s hand in his fear. “He said he’ll kill me if I went back out. He made sure I told you that.”

“Then we need to isolate you.” Gideon said.

“Why?” Reddy asked, looking between Gideon, Sera and the group in the conference room in fear. “There’s nothing you can do? Is there anything?”

He whimpered as his hands shook. Sera took his hands and held them as the two of them, Gideon and the ATF agents went into another bullpen that was slightly smaller and empty of any occupants. The ATF unit put up a large metal cage with a table and chairs so that Reddy could sit and they could work on trying to disarm the bomb. Morrison, who had followed them, went to a desk that was by the back wall and looked at a map as he spoke with the SWAT team that was searing the immediate are for Walker’s presence.

Once Reddy was seated and his sweatshirt removed, Tracy, now wearing body armor, came into the metal cage.

“We are going to do everything we can to save you.” Sera told Reddy reassuringly as she stood up from the chair she was seated in across from him. “I am going to be just outside the cage.”

Reddy nodded as he let go of her hand. Tracy stood back to give the pregnant witch space to walk out of the cage. Hotch and Elle walked in then, speculating on why Walker hasn’t tried negotiating with them if Reddy was his hostage.

“We have a bead on Walker. Sniper spotted him in his scope.” Morrison announced. Sera, Elle and Hotch joined the detective at the desk as he showed them the location on the map. “He’s sitting in an office building across the street.” Gideon joined them, looking tired and weary. “It looks like a small storage room with a small window facing us.”

“We could surprise him.” Elle suggested.

“That is a good idea.” Sera agreed, nodding as she looked at the map. “If he believes himself to be cornered, he may stand down.”

“Why do you say that?” Morrison asked.

“Because bombers are generally cowards.” Hotch replied. “I’ll take a team in and we’ll go in through the back of the building.”

“Okay.” Gideon agreed. “Elle?”

“I’ll go with him.” She replied.

“Sera, you -” Gideon began, turning to the pregnant woman.

“I know, I know. I am to stay here where it is safe.” She replied, rolling her eyes and sighing exasperatedly.

“Exactly.” Hotch said before adding mentally as he gave her a reproachful look. _“Don’t think I didn’t notice your insistence to stay with Reddy.”_

 _“I was safe. The baby will protect me.”_ Sera replied mentally, looking up at him and smiling. _“I am passed my first trimester of pregnancy.”_

“All right. You win.” Hotch said out loud, shaking his head in exasperation as he smiled at her.

She smiled back cheekily as Morrison and Elle looked at each other and back at the pair in confusion.

“You have any idea what just happened?” he asked her.

“No idea.” Elle replied as they turned to Gideon.

“Don’t ask.” He said shaking his head. “The two of them tend to forget that there are other people in the room who don’t know what they’re saying.”

At Gideon’s comment, Sera and Hotch turned to them.

“Let’s go.” Hotch told Elle, who nodded.

The two walked out, joined by three detectives who made up the rest of the team while Sera and Gideon stayed back with Morrison.

A few minutes later, Hotch said through the communication link, _“We’re entering the building.”_

“Be careful.” Gideon cautioned as Sera sat down on a chair at Gideon’s silent prompting.

_“Copy that.”_

“At the very least, we are aware of him possessing a weapon.” Sera said.

 _“Copy that.”_ Hotch replied.

 _“Please be careful.”_ Sera mentally pleaded.

 _“As much as possible.”_ He replied mentally before adding loudly through the comm link, _“We’re approaching the door now.”_

 “Copy that.” Morrison said into the walkie talkie. He turned to Sera and Gideon as he commented, “So, bombers are cowards, huh?”

“Yeah, every last one of them.” Gideon replied absently.

Sera, unable to stay seated, stood up and began to pace back and forth in front of the desk. Gideon watched her go back and forth, knowing that she wouldn’t relax until she knew Hotch was out of danger.

Sera, so focused on not projecting her worry through the bond to Hotch, was startled when the phone rang. She jumped slightly and turned to the desk as Gideon answered it, keeping it on speaker.

“Yeah?” the senior agent said.

 _“Gideon. It’s me.”_ Morgan said on the other end. _“I just found an email Bale sent Walker 2 weeks ago. Listen to this, ‘my only regret is giving myself up. And for what? To be stuck in a cage for the rest of my life. Don’t make my mistake. If they catch you, whatever you do, don’t let them keep you.’”_

Sera and Gideon looked at each other as the call ended. They thought back to the case, what they had learned about Walker and his fascination with Adrian Bale.

“Mr. Walker isn’t a bomber.” Sera said in realization, her large eyes widened even further in horrified realization. “He’s a forger.”

“Get out of there! Now! Now!” Gideon yelled into the walkie the same time that Sera mentally screamed, _“Aaron, get out! Now! It’s a trap!”_

As the explosion rocked the building across the street, Sera screamed in pain, falling to her knees as Gideon caught her before she hit the ground. Sera wrapped her arms around her chest as Gideon held her, sitting on the ground as she curled in his arms. 

For several long and tense seconds, the small bullpen was silent as Gideon rocked her soothingly as she worked through the sudden flash of pain. The few people that were in the room, Morrison, Reddy, Tracy and a small handful of others, looked on in confusion as Sera slowly calmed down once more.

“I’m all right, Jason.” Sera said softly, looking up at him as he stood up and helped her to her feet as well. “I don’t know how many, but I do know that it wasn’t Aaron.”

The words that made no sense to the locals seemed to make plenty of sense to the senior FBI agent as Morrison took the walkie and asked for a status report.

 _“We’re fine. Everybody made it except Walker.”_ Hotch replied. _“Is the hostage ok?”_

“He’s fine. For now.” Morrison replied as Sera sat on the chair once more, Gideon going to sit on the floor in front of Reddy.

 _“Sera, how are you feeling?”_ Hotch mentally asked her, still in the building with Elle and the team.

 _“Better than when it occurred.”_ She replied honestly. _“Is it terrible for me to feel happy that you weren’t hurt?”_

 _“No. Never.”_ Hotch replied, sending a wave of reassurance and love through the bond to her, which she responded to with a wave of her own.

“How much time do we have?” Morrison asked Tracy, who was standing by the desk with his helmet removed.

“Two hours and twenty four minutes.” He replied.

“With Walker dead, I’m all out of options.” Morrison informed Gideon.

Reddy was now drenched in sweat and shaking, his fear almost tangible to everyone in the room.

“I’ve got one.” Gideon said as he looked at the terrified man.

Sera frowned as she looked up at him.

“You are not considering what I believe you are considering. Are you?” she asked in disbelief.

“That depends on what you think I’m considering.” Gideon replied as Hotch and Elle returned with the team.

“What’s going on?” Hotch asked, taking in the disbelief on Sera’s face, the reluctant determination on Gideon’s face and the confusion on everyone else’s faces.

“This is most assuredly going to bite us in the arse.” Sera commented in lieu of an actual response, looking her soulmate over for any injuries or harm as he put his arm around her in comfort due to the pain she was in from Walker’s death.

“What is?” Hotch asked again.

 _“Gideon is considering asking a certain someone for assistance as we are entirely out of options.”_ Sera mentally told him, causing him to look at the senior agent in surprise.

“We’re out of other options, Hotch.” Gideon said, realizing that Sera mentally updated the man.

Sera groaned as she grabbed her purse and walked out of the building, followed by Gideon and Hotch, Gideon pausing long enough to explain to the confused agents and detectives.

XXXXXXXX

At the prison, Hotch, Sera and Gideon met with Bale and his attorney. Bale agreed to help on the condition that he receives a transfer to a mental asylum and that Gideon apologizes, in writing, to the families of the victims who died in the bombing in Boston 6 months earlier, that Bale had beaten and outsmarted him. It was agreed that if the information Bale provided them was false, the deal would be void.

With that, Gideon wrote his apology and, at prompting from Bale, spoke it out loud, before the three agents escorted Bale to the police station in Palm Beach.

XXXXXXXX

With only a few seconds left before the timer reached its end, Gideon, Hotch, Sera, Bale, Elle, Morrison and the rest of the officers were in the conference room watching Tracy as he worked on the bomb. Tracy and Reddy were the only ones who were in the bullpen, cordoned off by the cage that surrounded them.

Bale was standing between Gideon and Hotch, with Sera standing next to her soul mate and closest to the door. Elle and the other personnel were behind them. Unnoticed by Bale, Sera cast a _Protego_ spell around the room and Tracy, protecting them from the possible blast. She was unable to add Reddy to the spell because of the bomb strapped to him, the nature of non-magical explosives making it impossible to use magic on them or, in this particular case, on the person they are strapped to, lest they set it off prematurely.

 “Okay, I’ve isolated the wires connected to the actual device.” Tracy told them. “We’ve only got one shot at this. It’s either the blue wire or the red wire.”

Reddy was panting, his hair sticking to his forehead and drenched in sweat.

“Which do we cut Bale?” Gideon asked, turning the prisoner. “Red or blue?”

The timer had 38 seconds left.

Bale took a deep breath as he looked through the glass at the hostage and the bomb technician.

“Red.” He replied.

“You know if you’re lying, this thing goes boom, you get nothing, right?” Gideon reminded him.

“Yes.” Bale said, nodding his understanding.

“If we cut the red it’s over?” Gideon asked in clarification. He turned and looked at Bale, who looked back at him. “You get to spend your time in a cushy asylum. Bushes, trees, visits, nurses… and we get this man out of here alive.”

“I don’t see how I can make this any clearer.” Bale snarked, shaking his head as he looked back out through the glass.

“17 seconds.” Tracy called.

“Red wire, right?” Gideon asked in clarification.

“Yes.”

“Cut the blue.” Gideon ordered through the walkie talkie in his hand.

The contradicting order had Bale, Hotch and Sera whipping around to look at the senior agent in surprise.

“Are you sure?” Tracy asked, the pliers poised and ready to make the cut.

Reddy closed his eyes as Sera grasped Hotch’s hand tightly in her own, bracing for the possibility of another death.

“Do it.” Gideon said, not looking away from Bale.

Tracy did as ordered and cut the blue wire, the timer stopping with 3 seconds left.

“All right.” Tracy said as they all breathed a collective sigh of relief, Reddy’s louder than the rest of them. “It shouldn’t take long to cut this thing off now.”

Hotch grabbed Bale by the shoulder and hauled him out, Sera following them and stopping by the cage as Hotch took Bale outside.

“Thank you.” Reddy told Tracy in a shaky voice, tears streaming down his face. “Thank you.”

Sera smiled radiantly at him as Tracy cut the bomb off. The moment he was free, Reddy pulled Sera in for a hug which she returned with a laugh

In the conference room, after explaining his reasoning to Elle, Gideon watched the young agent with a fond look in his eyes as she laughed with Tracy and Reddy, sharing in the happiness at having saved a life.

XXXXXXX

A few hours later, it was with a much lighter mood that the BAU team settled in on the jet for the journey home. Jade happily slithered off of Reid’s shoulders and settled on a table that was in direct path of the incoming sunlight, causing the rest to laugh in amusement. Sera went to the bathroom for her customary round of throwing up before settling on the couch next to Hotch, Reid and Gideon set up a game of chess while JJ and Elle started writing up their reports before falling asleep a few minutes later. Sera covered the two female agents with blankets and packed away their files before returning to her seat.

As she sat on the sofa with Hotch’s arm around her, she absently wondered if she was spoiling the team by mothering them so much. She was constantly running after them to eat, giving them their coffee and tea, covering them with blankets when they fell asleep, among other things.

As she looked around at the team she decided that she didn’t care. As long as they at least acknowledged what she did for them, she would be the ‘team nanny’. After all, with four kids and the fifth on the way, she had plenty of experience at playing Mom.

_ Links _

_*Sera 1 st dress - _ [ _https://www.pinterest.com/pin/382594930826710284/_ ](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/382594930826710284/)

_*Sera bindi (colors indicated in the story, matching her dresses) -_ [ _https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/474566879478522390/_ ](https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/474566879478522390/)

_*Sera sindoor (vermillion) -_ [ _https://www.p_ ](https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/474566879478516416/) _[interest.ca/pin/474566879478516416/](https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/474566879478516416/) - this is only how i imagine it to look since there is no parting in her hair. Only  the small amount on her forehead would be seen rather than all of it that would be in the parting._

 _*Sera 2 nd day dress - _ [ _https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/326088829241678650/_ ](https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/326088829241678650/)

_*Sera 3 rd day dress – _ [ _https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/92746073546890974/_ ](https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/92746073546890974/)


	4. Plain Sight

** Chapter 4: Plain Sight **

_Notes: I haven’t heard any feedback regarding the use of the Bookend quotes. Would anyone like them to be included in the chapters?_

_For the episode ‘Derailed’, I have two versions that are possible. One with Sera on the train with Elle and the other with her not on the train. Which version would you like me to write. Or I can post one and keep the other version as an alternate story, either within this story or as a separate posting under the same series name._

_The version with the highest number of votes will be the one that is posted._

F.B.I., Behavioral Analysis Unit – Quantico, Virginia

Elle, Morgan and JJ were standing – Sera sitting on a chair beside the desk - in the BAU bullpen behind Reid as the young agent sat at his desk with a birthday hat on his head and a large cake, courtesy of Sera, in front of him with 24 burning candles on top, courtesy of Morgan. Hotch and Gideon were leaning back against the mezzanine railing and watching them, several other agents milling about and glancing over occasionally. Jade was curled on Hotch’s head, her own head up and alert as she watched the birthday boy.

“Make a wish.” Sera said with a smile.

She was wearing a blue-grey floor-length long-sleeved medieval dress, stretching gently over her 22-week baby bump, with laces on either side of her waist and a circle square neckline*, with a belt tied around her hips that had her dagger and gun holster strapped to it. Her wands were tucked into her arm holsters, covered by her long sleeves. She had matching blue-grey 4” heeled pumps on her tiny feet, with her red Gryffindor House class ring on her right ring finger, her charm bracelet on her right wrist, her wedding necklace around her neck and wedding rings on her left ring finger. In her ears were a pair of small diamond earrings shaped as a six-petal flower with a white diamond surrounded by blue-grey diamonds making up the petals*. She had a blue-grey leaf bindi on her forehead, directly between her eyebrows. Her raven black hair was pulled in her usual 5-strand French-braid with the fringe tucked behind one ear and reaching the back of her knees, the vermillion in the center of her hairline, above her bindi signifying her as a married woman. Her rectangle black wire-framed glasses were perched on her nose.

Reid blew at the candles weakly, causing them to flicker slightly before resuming their bright glow. He glowered at the cake before trying to blow the candles out again. On his second try, he managed to blow out a few, and on his third, a few more.

“Come on man!” Morgan cried in amusement as they watched Reid’s attempts at blowing out his candles. “Blow, baby blow!”

“I thought you were full of hot air, Reid.” Elle commented with a wide smile on her face as she watched the genius repeatedly try to blow out his candles only for them to flicker back to life after each attempt.

“Come on, Reid!” Morgan said laughing.

“They’re trick candles, Spence.” JJ told him with a smile, taking pity on the genius. “They’re going to come back on every time.”

“Oh, mommy to the rescue.” Morgan said to Reid mockingly, playing with the hat on the genius’ head.

JJ shot Morgan an affronted look as Reid repeated with a confused look, “Mommy?”

“Ignore him.” JJ said, shooting the muscled black man a dark look and earning a smirk in reply.

“I hope you enjoy chocolate.” Sera said as she, Elle and JJ removed the candles.

“Agent Hotchner?”  Agent Anderson called across the bullpen, holding up the phone.

As Hotch went to answer the phone, Reid stood up and joined Gideon against the mezzanine. Sera pulled out a knife and began cutting the cake and putting pieces on the paper plates handed to her by Elle.

“Hey Spence.” JJ called with a bright smile, holding out a plate toward the genius and Gideon. “First piece for the birthday boy.”

Reid moved to walk towards them, only to double back and say something quietly to Gideon before joining the four agents and accepting the plate with a smile on his face.

“Happy Birthday.” Sera said with a smile as she handed a plate to Elle and Morgan each, JJ taking one for herself once Reid had his.

“Thank you.” Reid said gratefully.

“Did you get a spoon?” JJ asked, looking around the desk.

“JJ, why don’t you feed it to him?” Morgan asked with a smirk, perching slightly on the desk behind him as he took a bite of his cake.

“That’s my job.” Sera told Morgan, a stern look on her face though her eyes glittered with amusement.

Before Morgan could retort, she cocked her head to the side, her expression changing to a frown as she turned towards the desk where Hotch had answered the phone. The rest, seeing this as nothing new, resumed their teasing and playing.

 _“Aaron?”_ Sera asked mentally, feeling the regret coming from the bond, as she absently fed Reid the first bite of his birthday cake.

“Sorry guys, the party’s over.” Hotch said to the entire team in lieu of a mental response to Sera.

For a heartbeat, they all exchanged looks before moving in unison, JJ and Hotch – with Jade still on his head - went to get the files that had been sent over while the rest of them went to the Briefing Room to wait the few minutes until the former two arrived. Reid happily removed his birthday hat as he swallowed the bite of cake he had. During that time, Sera handed out cups of coffee to the team, keeping a cup of tea for herself, before banishing the tray back to where it belonged. A startled scream of ‘Sera!’ from the break room told her that an agent had been looking in the cupboard when the tray appeared.

“Sorry!” she yelled as she took her seat.

Morgan looked at her with an amused smirk on his face.

“We’re going to San Diego.” Hotch announced as he entered the room with JJ a step behind him.

“Not for the surfing, huh?” Morgan commented, the smirk being wiped of his face as he became professional, the expressions mirrored by the rest. He was sitting next to Gideon.

Their calling him the Tommy Killer.” JJ said as she put the file package on the table in front of Gideon and going around the table, handing them all the files pertaining to the case.

 _“I never liked the name ‘Tommy’.”_ Jade hissed as Sera hummed her agreement. It was too close to the name ‘Tom’, Voldemort’s birth name.

“6 women raped and murdered in their home in the last 3 weeks.” Hotch said, sitting next to Sera and ignoring the serpent who was leaning over his head and looking at the file in his hand.

“6 in 3 weeks?” Elle repeated in surprise, seated between Gideon and Reid.

“That’s a remarkably short fuse.” Sera commented, looking at the file in front of her.

 _“And getting sssshhorter.”_ Jade hissed.

“And getting shorter.” Hotch said, repeating what the serpent had said and adding the supporting evidence, “The first 2 were 8 days apart then the next 4 in 2 weeks.”

“Rapid escalation.” Reid said, clearing his throat. He was seated on Sera’s other side. “Do you think he’s regressing into a psychopathic frenzy?”

JJ sat down on Hotch’s other side, beside Morgan and completing the circle.

“No. he’s too controlled for that.” Hotch replied, adding as he stood up, “See you on the plane.”

“Why the Tommy Killer?” Morgan asked with a frown as Hotch moved to walked out.

“Why ‘Tommy’?” Sera asked with a frown, using every ounce of strength to keep her memories where they belonged, in the past.

“You know the rock opera?” Hotch asked, turning around and facing them at the question. “This unsub glues his eyes wide open.”

JJ looked up at him with a horrified look on his face as Sera shuddered slightly and Hotch walked out of the room.

“He wants them to see him.” Reid said, looking at the photograph of the latest victim’s face.

“And feel him.” Gideon added gravely.

“He refuses to allow them the escape of disassociating with the occurrence.” Sera said angrily, her hands curled into tight fists.

The baby, feeling her anger kicked in response, making Sera jump slightly as she reigned in her fierce temper. Unfortunately, she wasn’t fast enough as one of the large plant pots in the bullpen exploded.

A scream from the bullpen informed her that an agent was unfortunate enough to have been close to the pot as it exploded. Sera winced and ran out to the mezzanine, looking over the bullpen at where Agent Anderson was standing, covered in dirt and plant particles. The rest of the team followed her, Hotch coming out of his office when he heard the scream.

“Sorry, Grant.” Sera said with sheepish smile.

“What happened?” he asked resignedly, removing some of the dirt from his hair and clothes while a pair of agents removed the now useless pot and dead plant.

“I wasn’t quite fast enough to reign in my temper.” She replied sheepishly.

“All right.” Anderson said sighing. “I’m gonna go clean up.”

“I can clean it if you wish.” Sera said with a small smile, waving her fingers in explanation.

Anderson sighed and nodded in agreement. Sera drew her wand and waved it, silently casting cleaning spells on the agent and the surrounding area, erasing any sign of the exploding plant pot.

“Thank you.” Anderson said with a smile once he was cleaned.

“You’re welcome.” Sera replied with a radiant smile.

It was a good thing that the agents were very used to magic being used so freely or she would have had a very difficult time explaining everything.

XXXXXXX

The next day, the team was on the jet for the trip to San Diego, buckling in for the take-off before relaxing once they were in the air.

“Brenda Samms was found yesterday by her children when they got home from school. She had been with a thin ligature, possibly a wire.” Hotch said as he moved to sit across from Elle, handing her the corresponding crime scene photograph.

“No weapon left at the scene.” Elle added, looking at the photo.

“The residue on the wrist and mouth indicate the use of duct tape before being removed.” Sera said, looking at the photographs in her hand. She was sitting on the seat across from Gideon.

She was wearing a grey floor-length long-sleeved medieval dress with a round barely off-the-shoulder neckline and a darker trim along the neck, cuffs and hem*, with her belt around her hips, the matching grey 4” pumps on her feet. She had earrings in her ears (grey diamonds making up the 6 petals of the flower with the white diamond in the center) her wedding rings on her left hand, her Gryffindor House class ring and her charm bracelet on her right hand, and her wedding necklace around her neck. Her hair was in its usual 5-strand French braid, the vermillion in the center of her hairline, with the matching grey leaf bindi between her eyebrows and her glasses perched on her nose.

“Also not found at the scene.” Hotch added.

“Brought it with him, took it with him.” Elle said.

“He also started leaving messages at the fourth scene.” Hotch said. He held up the photograph in his hand before looking at it and reading what was written, “‘ _Fair lady, throw those costly robes aside. No longer may you glory in your pride. Take leave of all your carnal, vain delight.’_ ”

“‘ _I’ve come to summon you away this night._ ’” Reid finished, causing them all to look at him. “It is a ballad from the late 1600s.”

“A dialogue betwixt Death and a Lady.” Sera added, causing them all to look at her with raised eyebrows. Gideon had an amused smile on his face.

“Okay, I get Reid knowing that. But how do you know that?” Morgan asked incredulously, looking at the tiny witch. He was perched on the table with the file in his hand.

Sera just smiled at him in response as Elle asked, “A 17th Century ballad?”

“Essentially, a woman is begging Death to allow her to live.” Sera said.

“Aside from our resident geniuses, what kind of person knows this ballad?” Elle pondered. “Are we looking for a literature professor?”

“Anyone with an internet connection, actually.” Reid said. He chuckled slightly as he continued, “You should see what comes in when you type ‘death’ into a search engine.”

Sera giggled, knowing what he was talking about while JJ looked at the genius with a raised eyebrow.

“Reid, no wonder you can’t get a date.” Morgan chuckled.

“I don’t understand. What does Reid’s knowledge have to do with him not getting a date?” Sera asked with a confused frown, looking around at her teammates.

The question and honest confusion reminded them all just how innocent the young woman really was, despite everything she had been through in her 25 years.

“Reid, you stay on the messages. See if there’s a deeper meaning.” Gideon said before anyone could respond to Sera’s question.

Reid nodded his understanding.

“Well, it definitely looks like he ransacked the crime scene pretty well.” Morgan said, holding up the corresponding photograph for them to see.

“A great amount of damage, yet nothing had been taken.” Sera said.

“The eyes are the thing, the signature.” Gideon said, his eyes wise and knowledgeable behind his glasses. They looked at him as he spoke. “The behavior that isn’t necessary for the murder, but necessary for the emotional release. That’s what he’s there for.”

“There used to be a widely held belief that the eyes record a snapshot of the last thing a person sees before they die.” Reid said.

“Yea, that’s right. People used to write poems about talking to Death.” Morgan added.

“Ballads.” Reid corrected.

“Whatever.” Morgan said, shrugging before turning to Sera and asking, “Can’t you actually talk to Death?”

“Yes.” Sera replied, nodding.

“You can talk to dead people?” Elle asked incredulously, looking at the with wide eyes.

“No. I am able to speak with Death, not those whose souls he claims.” Sera corrected.

“Uh-huh.” Elle breathed, still getting shocked whenever she learned something new about the witch. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and looked at the photograph. As she looked at the photo, she asked ponderingly, “You think they’ll ever run out of new things to do to their victims?”

At the question, they looked at her.

“Discovering new ways to hurt one another is what mankind is quite skilled at.” Sera said gently, in a tone that seemed far too old for her age, as they all fell silent and returned to the files in their hands.

The remainder of the trip was spent looking at the file, Sera making a run to the bathroom before coming out 10 minutes later with a groan, Reid stating statistics regarding pregnancies that had Sera’s had twitching dangerously (the moment Reid saw the hand twitch, he stopped talking knowing it to be a prelude to a spell being cast by the irritated pregnant witch); and Hotch calming the pregnant witch down and getting her a bottle of flat ginger-ale to help with her nausea.

XXXXXX

Task Force Headquarters – San Diego Police Department 

Arriving in San Diego, they went straight to the Police Department where they had been informed that the Task Force had been set up. They walked into the bullpen, their strides filled with purpose, their bags held in their hands. The officers, detectives and agents that were already present stopped what they were doing and stared at the BAU team as they walked through the bullpen; Hotch, JJ and Sera the only ones not entirely ignoring the people around them.

“Captain Griffith, Task Force Commander.” One of the men, wearing a grey suit, said to Hotch as he held out a hand to the federal agent.

“Sorry, we all get tunnel vision.” Hotch said with a smile, putting his bag down and shaking the man’s hand. “I’m Special Agent Hotchner, this is Agent Jareau, our Liaison,” he gestured to JJ who was looking around the bullpen. At her name, she turned and smiled at the captain, shaking his hand in greeting. “and this is Dr. Potter, our team medical doctor and Liaison with the Magical World. The snake is Jade, her familiar.”

“Hello.” Sera said in greeting, shaking the man’s hand, Jade hissing slightly from where she was curled around her neck.

“I appreciate you coming out.” The captain said.

The man looked weary and exhausted. He was desperate to close this case and keep those under his jurisdiction safe, something Sera could understand and sympathize with entirely. The only indication of his surprise at the unconventionally attired witch and the snake around her neck was the raised eyebrow.

“Thanks. Hope we can help.” Hotch replied.

The captain nodded and turned, looking around the bullpen and at the murder boards where the rest of the team was.

“‘ _My name is Death. Have you not heard of me? You may as well be mute…’_ ” Reid trailed off into a whisper as he read the typed copy of one of the messages on one of the murder boards.

“Creepy, huh?” JJ commented, looking at the board with the typed versions of the messages with her arms crossed over her chest.

 “Actually, conversations between Death and his victims was a fairly popular literary and artistic theme throughout the Renaissance.” Reid said before getting a glimpse of JJ’s raised eyebrow and adding, “Yeah, creepy.”

“He strikes during the day in upper-middle-class neighborhoods.” Morgan stated, looking at the map the was posted on another board, the locations of the crime scenes pinned.

“Extremely high-risk victims at a high-risk time.” Sera said, standing between Gideon and Reid, looking at another murder board, this one with the crime scene photos, small bits of information regarding the victims as well as photos of them during their lives – with their spouses or significant others, children and/ or friends.

 “He’s confident in his ability.” Gideon added, not looking away from the murder board.

“Looks to be a 5-square mile radius.” Morgan said.

“So, he probably has a vehicle.” Gideon concluded as a detective walked up to them.

“You wanna see that crime scene?” he asked, making them turn to him. “It’s still taped off. The husband won’t go back inside.”

“I do not blame the poor man.” Sera muttered quietly.

 “Let’s go.” Gideon said with a smile.

Gideon held his arm out to Sera, who took it, looping her arm though his crooked elbow as the detective led the two of them and Morgan out to his car.

 _“Aaron, Jason, Derek and I are going to see the last crime scene with one of the detectives. Jade is with us.”_ Sera mentally told Hotch after a silent prompting from Gideon.

 _“All right, Snow. I’ll see if Elle can find out what the evidence can tell her about the sexual aspect and what kind of rapist he is.”_ Hotch replied as he walked over to Elle who was standing with her notebook open and a box of evidence at her feet.

“Aaron is speaking with Elle regarding the kind of rapist our unsub is.” Sera informed the three men as she got into the passenger seat of the car, Gideon closing the door behind her before getting into the back seat next to Morgan.

“That’s good.” Gideon said as the detective, Cornelius Martin as he introduced himself, began to drive.

“How do you know that?” Martin asked with a confused frown, glancing at her momentarily before turning to the road. “You didn’t have your phone out and you didn’t meet anyone else as we were walking out. And what’s with the snake?”

Sera smiled and didn’t answer, turning to look out of the window at the passing scenery of homes and neighborhoods, as Morgan opened the file and began looking over the crime scene photos and the schematics of the house. Jade was curled up in Sera’s lap, the witch absently running her fingers over the shinning green scales.

“This profiling really works?” Martin asked several minutes later, glancing back at Morgan in the back seat.

“It’s a tool.” Morgan replied.

“You can tell all about a guy from looking at the scene.” The detective spoke with a tone of incredulity.

“The scene is only a single part of it.” Sera said, looking at him. “We also make use of victimology, precedent. Oftentimes, we can ascertain a fairly clear picture of the unsub.”

“Our guys went over it pretty well.” Martin told them, not rudely but still in defense of his comrades.

 “I’m sure they did.” Morgan said with a slight chuckle as he looked at the different pages in the file.

“Local officers aren’t trained to look for the things we look for.” Gideon said reassuringly.

“What’s that?”

“Hate, insecurity, fear, anger.”

“That’s all at the scene?” Martin had a surprised look on his face and in his tone as he glanced back at the senior agent.

“It’s all in his behavior.” Morgan replied.

None of them mentioned Sera’s partial ‘Remote-Reading’ ability – the ability to gain a feeling of the residual emotions that cling to any particular area. It wasn’t something she did all the time, especially considering how incredibly dangerous it was as she would be feeling all the emotions as if they were her own – not just the unsubs but everyone who had been in the area over a certain period of time, regardless of how long they were there for. It was dangerous enough when she wasn’t pregnant, add her pregnancy to the mix and it was a recipe for unwanted headaches, for her and for Hotch. The last time she had done it, when they had the case in Seattle and they had met Elle, her headache lasted a full week – in addition, she had terrible morning sickness and had been unable to keep anything down, resorting to using potions to get the nutrients and supplements she needed. That too, had been when Hotch had been with her, she wasn’t quite willing to do a Remote-Reading without him.

“You know anything about our guy yet?” Martin asked curiously, bringing her back to the conversation.

“Yeah. He isn’t going to stop until he’s caught.” Gideon replied.

The response had the detective looking at Sera with wide eyes as she nodded in agreement to Gideon’s words. They were silent as they pulled up to the curb beside the last victim’s house and got out.

As they walked, the three FBI agents took in the neighborhood and watched the patrol cars that passed them by, heading in both directions to cover the entire area.

“You increased patrols in these neighborhoods when the pattern was identified?” Gideon asked, turning back and heading towards the house as he spoke.

“After the fourth victim.” Martin confirmed. “Bosses cancelled days off, vacations.”

“Neighborhood full of cruisers and he still struck two more times.” Morgan commented.

_“Snow.”_

_“Yes, Aaron?”_ Sera replied mentally as she cocked her head to the side as Gideon replied to Morgan’s comment by stating the unsub blends.

_“There may have been another attempt 6 blocks from the station house.”_

“Jason, Derek.” Sera called to the two, stopping in her tracks. They turned to look at her and seeing the cocked head and frown on her face, they realized that she was speaking with Hotch.

 _“Attempt?”_ she asked.

_“The husband interrupted, and the attacker got away, but Elle and I are headed over there right now.”_

_“We have already arrived at the latest crime scene. One moment while I let Jason know of this.”_ With that she looked at Gideon and Morgan as she said, “There has been another attempt 6 blocks from the station house. Her husband had interrupted; however, the attacker ran before he could be apprehended.”

“Tell him to let us know if they identify a suspect.” Gideon ordered the witch.

Sera nodded and mentally relayed the order, getting a confirmation in response.

“Suspect?” Martin, who hadn’t heard Sera relaying the information to Gideon and Morgan, asked.

Gideon told him what had happened as Morgan and Sera walked up towards the front stoop. Martin looked at Gideon for a moment before turning and heading back towards the car.

 _“Where’sss he going?”_ Jade asked, alerting Sera to the detective’s movements.

“Detective, where are you going?” Sera asked.

“Over there.” Martin replied, gesturing towards the general direction of the station house.

“Well, units are already heading that way.” Gideon said. “We can get more accomplished here.”

“You’re kidding me, right?” Martin said incredulously, looking at Gideon.

“No. if there’s an arrest, what we find here will help you prosecute.” Morgan said, gesturing to the still closed house.

“The scene will not remain pristine forever.” Sera reminded him gently.

Martin sighed and looked between he three agents and the car, torn between helping his comrades or following through on what he had said to the agents back at the precinct.

“Guys, knock yourselves out.” He said finally with a sigh, taking the keys from his pocket and holding them out to Gideon.

“Thank you.” Gideon said, taking the keys and heading to the door while Martin headed back to his car.

“Hey, wait a minute.” Morgan called, causing the detective to turn back and look at him. “The unsub went through the back, right?”

“The family room.” Martin confirmed, not breaking his stride despite currently walking backwards. “It’s the window full of print dust.”

“Gideon, Sera,” Morgan called out to them as Martin turned and jogged to his car. “I’m going around the house.”

Sera nodded as Gideon waved his hand while using the other to break through the crime scene tape. He unlocked the door and held it open for Sera to go in before following her and letting the door shut behind them.

Walking in, they saw a portrait of the family on the far wall directly in front of the door. Going upstairs, they entered the Master Bedroom, which was also the crime scene. The bed had been stripped of all the bedding, right down to the sheets, and the mess that had been made on the floor had been cleaned as well.

Walking around the room, they both used the crime scene photos to imagine how the scene had looked to the officers that were first on the scene. The victim laying on the bed on her front, completely naked, her eyes glued wide open; the mess of broken items on the ground, localized to one area and not all of which would be found in a person’s bedroom. On the dresser, there was a photograph of the family, likely having been taken after a sporting event or family game.

Jade slithered off Sera’s neck and onto the ground as the witch walked over to the mirror where the message had been written in neat block letters.

 _“You may as well be mute. There is no time at all for vain dispute, your riches, gold, and garments, jewels bright. Your house and land on new owner’s light.”_ She read as Gideon looked at the TV and VCR.

 “She had a workout video on.” Gideon said as Morgan entered the room. “Step aerobics.”

“Step aerobics?” Sera repeated in confusion. “With the platforms?”

“Step up, step down, step up, step down?” Morgan added, the same confusion in his voice.

“Wait, then where is the platform?” Sera asked, glancing around the room once more and not seeing it.

 _“It’sss over here.”_ Jade hissed, making them turn to look at her.

Despite not understanding what the serpent said, Gideon realized what she meant as she pointed with her tail. He went to the bed and knelt down in front of Jade, looking beneath it to see the platform neatly tucked away.

“He spent a lot of time here.” Gideon said, still on the ground and looking up at the two of them as he removed his glasses. Jade slithered up the man’s arm and settled around his neck.

“What, so he vacuumed?” Morgan asked, opening the file in his hand briefly before closing it and glancing around the room. “I mean, there’s no marks from the platforms.”

“A lot of time.” Gideon repeated in emphasis.

“The broken things.” Morgan said, opening the file once more as he spoke. “She must have already been dead or incapacitated when he did that. Cappuccino machine from the kitchen, dishes, vases, broken jewelry.”

“Symbols.” Sera said as Gideon stood up from the ground and perched on the bed. She repeated the verses from the ballad, “‘ _Your riches, gold, and garments, jewels bright. Your house and land on new owner’s light._ ’”

“Her riches.” Morgan said as Sera sat next to Gideon on the bed.

“Precisely.” Sera replied.

“Ever feel like there’s something obvious right in front of you and you just can’t see it?” Gideon asked.

“All the time.” Sera replied cheerfully.

“Yeah, usually right before a woman dumps me.” Morgan replied, slightly less cheerfully.

They left the house a short time later, locking up behind them. That was when the two men realized something.

“How are we going to get back with out a car?” Morgan asked, realizing that their ride was currently 6 blocks away from the station house at another crime scene.

“That, Derek, is where I come in.” Sera replied, holding up her charm bracelet.

She held a small charm that looked like a miniaturized version of their SUV’s and gently tugged it off the bracelet. Casting a Notice-Me-Not spell on the surrounding area to add to the Mist that already obscured anything mystical from unknowning eyes, she whispered “ _Finite._ ”

The miniaturized charm immediately became bigger, turning into a real vehicle.

“I forgot about that.” Morgan admitted once the SUV was at its proper size.

Sera laughed as they got in, Morgan in the driver seat, Sera in the passenger seat beside him and Gideon in the back with Jade curled in his lap.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When they returned to the precinct, Sera returning the SUV back to its miniature charm form before entering the building, Reid met them as they entered the bullpen, with a small stack of papers in his hand.

“The verses.” He said, making the three recent arrivals look at him.

“Found something?” Gideon asked.

“Not an answer, a question.” Reid clarified. “I found the full text. He’s pretty much following it to a T, at least the Death side of the conversation.”

“But?” Gideon prompted.

“Why didn’t he leave them at the first 3 murders?” Reid asked.

“If I recall correctly, Death’s side of this ballad is 10 verses long.” Sera said, a slight frown on her beautiful face.

“Exactly.” Reid exclaimed. “He had plenty to work with. But if it’s not part of his signature, if it isn’t something that he has to do for an emotional reason then, I mean, why start?” He finished with a contemplative frown on his face.

For a single heartbeat, no one did anything, then Gideon got a small smirk on his face.

“JJ, find out when the press ran the first story on this unsub.” He told the blonde Liaison who was seated at the desk behind them, listening to the conversation.

“When?” she asked, a slight frown on her face.

“After which victim.” Gideon elaborated.

“Yeah, you got it.” She said as she picked up the phone to make the inquiry.

Jade slid down Gideon’s body and made her way to the blonde agent, slithering up the chair and settling around the blonde’s neck before yawning widely and falling asleep. JJ didn’t even bat an eyelid at the strange sensation of the tiny serpent, merely moving her head around and lifting her hair so that the snake can settle down comfortably before letting the golden locks fall gently over her shoulders once more.

“What’re you thinking?” Morgan asked, turning to the senior agent after sending an amused glance at Jade.

“He wasn’t getting enough attention.” Gideon told him, his tone implying that it was obvious.

“Police departments at times are not even aware they are looking at a pattern.” Sera commented, nodding in understanding as she pulled a chair towards her and sat down.

“Yeah, until somebody tells ‘em.” Morgan muttered, realizing what Gideon was trying to find out.

“At least they are not actively attempting to bury their heads in the sand and ignore the signs directly in front of them.” Sera said, her tone implying that there was a lot more behind her comment.

Before they could ask, JJ spoke up, the phone at her ear, though away from her mouth.

“The first story ran the morning after the fourth victim was found.”

“The increased patrols were not put into effect until after the fourth victim had been found.” Sera stated, recalling what Martin had told them about the patrols while they were at the house.

“Yeah, the police didn’t realize what was happening, he writes his verse, and-” Gideon started.

“Everyone knows that he was there.” Reid finished as Elle and Hotch walked up to them.

“The offender in this new attempt is a black male.” Hotch told them, stopping behind Sera and putting his hands on her shoulders as she squeezed them in response.

“Black male?” Morgan repeated. “That’s cross racial. That doesn’t happen.”

“What about Herbert Mullin?” Reid asked pointedly. “He killed 14 different people of completely varying ages, races and creeds.”

“But there was no sexual component to his crimes.” Elle pointed out. “And he wore a ski mask.” She turned to Gideon and said, “This attacker wore a ski mask.”

Gideon looked at the murder board, taking in the photographs of the crime scenes, the victims when they had been alive and happy, and the notes that had been tacked to the board by the different members of the task force as they progressed through the case.

“Tell ‘em we’re ready.” Gideon said, not looking away from the board.

“For a profile?” Sera asked, slightly skeptic and unsure.

Reid looked between Sera and Gideon as the older agent said, “We’re gonna make Tommy contact us.”

They watched as he walked away.

“Well, I’ll speak with Captain Griffiths about gathering his task force.” Sera said as she got up, groaning when the baby kicked in response to the change in position.

 _“You all right, Snow?”_ Hotch asked mentally, seeing the slight frown marring the regal woman’s face.

She nodded and smiled up at him before turning and heading towards Captain Griffiths.

With her trademark efficiency, it took less than 10 minutes for the task force to be gathered in the bullpen, seated on chairs or standing, with their notebooks and pens out, poised to take notes.

Gideon stood directly in front of them, the middle murder board behind him. With Morgan next to him, Hotch stood a few steps away on his right while Sera was seated on a chair on the opposite side, Reid standing beside her. Jade was still with JJ, fast asleep around the blonde’s neck as the Liaison watched the team present the profile from where she stood along the side wall.

“The unsub brought his weapons with him, tape, glue, wire. He did not leave them at the scene. He took them when he left. He has a kind of killing kit that he carries.” Gideon began.

“Organized killers usually have a skilled job, likely technology related, which may involve the use of the hands.” Hotch said, taking over as Gideon sat down by one of the desks. “The crime scenes are far enough apart that he needs a vehicle. This will be well kept, obsessively clean, as well as his home.”

“He is diurnal, the attacks have occurred during the day. As such, the vehicle may be related to his work, perhaps a company car or truck.” Sera said.

“We believe that he watches the victims for a time, learns the rhythms of the home, knows his time frame.” Morgan said.

“You’re not gonna catch him accidentally.” Hotch added.

“Is it possible that magic is involved somehow? That he’s using magic to hide his tracks?” a detective asked.

“No.” Sera replied, shaking her head. “Just as there are ways to find physical and non-magical evidence, so too are there ways to discover whether the unsub is magical in some way or using magic to aide him. Furthermore, the unsub destroys the symbols of wealth in the victim’s homes. He harbors a deep envy of and hatred towards those of a higher social class than he. He feels invisible around them.”

“Class is the theme of the poem which he left at the various crime scenes. At one point in the poem, the woman attempts to bribe death, but he doesn’t accept it. He says this is the moment when riches mean nothing, when death comes, the poor and the rich are exactly alike.” Reid said as Elle walked into the bullpen carrying a stack of papers in her hand.

“So, he’s poor?” Griffiths asked, perched sideways on a desk behind Gideon.

“Likely middle-class.” Sera replied. “A person of a decidedly lower-class would be noticed in a highly patrolled neighborhood. This man appears to belong, he blends in.”

“Why does he glue the eyes open?” Martin asked.

“The unsub is an exploitative rapist.” Elle replied, quietly having come to stand beside Hotch. “Most rape victims close their eyes during the attack, turn their heads. For some rapists, this ruins the fantasy. For this type of rapist, the goal is more related to the victim watching him than the act itself.”

“The verses, the staging, the aggressive language, ‘ _I am Death’_ , this is a person who, while being in control of the crime scene, almost certainly feels inadequate in the rest of his life.” Hotch said.

“That’s why he couldn’t wait for you to figure out what he’d done.” Gideon said, standing and turning to the members of the task force. “Why he needed to make sure all his crimes were counted. His victims, they represent whatever it is that’s controlling him, and he wants that control back. He is under the thumb of a powerful woman who frightens him. And a final point. He is white.”

“We have witnesses who identify him as a black male.” Griffiths spoke out.

“The attacker was black.” Gideon agreed nodding. “He is not the Tommy Killer.”

“Mrs. Gordon’s husband came home at the same time that he always does. The Tommy Killer would’ve known that.” Hotch said in explanation, seeing the sill confused looks on some of the detectives faces.

“And Mrs. Gordon’s attacker wore a ski mask.” Elle added. “The unsub knows when he walks into a house he’s going to kill the woman who lives there. If you’re not leaving any witnesses, why wear a ski mask?”

“And he wants his victims to see him anyway.” Morgan added.

“Your attempted rapist is a garden variety disorganized young man.” Sera informed them.

“As the victim’s age goes up, generally the attacker’s age goes down.” Elle said. “Mrs. Gordon is about 60, which puts her attacker at about 20.”

“In addition, it takes many years to develop the level of calm and sophistication that this unsub displays at a crime scene. The rapist is much too young for this.” Sera said, not using the unsub’s moniker.

“Mrs. Gordon told me that there’s a young man who delivers groceries to their home. He fits a lot of what we’re describing here.” Elle added.

“Great.” Griffiths said with a sigh, standing up. “So we’re back to zero on Tommy.”

“Not at all.” Sera said reassuringly, standing up. “May we speak in your office for a moment?”

“Yeah, sure.” Griffiths replied, leading her into the office, turning the lights on as he entered and holding the door open for her.

“Do you have a tip line for the public to call?” she asked as he closed the door behind her.

“Yeah.” He replied as he walked behind his desk and she stood in front of it.

“We have a technician at Quantico who is able to tap into your phone system.”

“He’s gonna call us?” Griffiths asked, quickly realizing what the woman was saying.

“Well, he has gone out of his way to show you how frightening he is. And when the 11:00 news opens with the capture of a 6ft tall black man in connection with his crimes, he will be utterly furious. This fury will lead him to call.”

Griffiths nodded in understanding and Sera walked out of the office, going to the break room to prepare tea and coffee for them all. When she returned to the bullpen carrying the tray of cups, not only for the team but for the rest of the task force as well, she found Morgan trying to talk to Jade who was blithely ignoring him from where she was curled around JJ’s shoulders. Hotch, Gideon, Reid and Elle were watching with amusement written all over their faces while the rest of the Task Force members just watched in complete confusion.

“What did I miss?” Sera asked with a smile as she levitated the tray with one hand and used the other to hand out the coffee cups, once again being the only one who drank tea.

“JJ has to make the statement to the press and Jade refuses to get down.” Hotch replied with a smirk.

 _“You have not informed Derek that Jade is ignoring him, have you? That the hissing is nothing more than pure nonsense?”_ Sera mentally asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Nope.” Hotch replied out loud causing Sera to shake her head in exasperation.

 _“Jade, pleassse get down and I will give you ssssssome coffee. Once Jennifer hasssss completed her sssstatement and isssss away from the camerassss, you may return to her ssshouldersss if ssshe allowsss it.”_ Sera told the snake, earning what everyone was assuming was a pout as the snake slithered down from her perch on the blonde Liaison’s shoulders.

“I would let her stay with me, while under the disguising spell, but-” JJ began, looking helplessly at the pouting serpent who was now curled up on one of the chairs.

“There is the chance that the spell won’t hold while on screen.” Sera finished, nodding. “Do not worry Jennifer. She will pout for a time before returning to her cheerful and sarcastic self. Though I did tell her that she may return to your shoulders if you allow it once you have made the statement.”

JJ nodded in agreement as Elle and Morgan left to pick up Mrs. Gordon’s attacker after receiving the required information from one of the detectives. When Jade turned her pouting eyes to her, Sera transfigured a blank piece of paper into a shallow bowl before pouring some coffee into it and setting it on the chair beside the chair the serpent was curled on. Jade gave her a long reproachful look before leaning over and licking at the coffee.

“She’s such a diva.” Reid commented as he watched the serpent.

“Try living with her.” Sera told him as she floated the tray over to some of the other detectives and officers, handing out the cups of coffee.

“Do we have anything to eat?” Reid called to her, having to speak loudly since she was on the other side of the bullpen.

“I should have in my purse.” Sera replied.

Reid nodded and grabbed the woman’s purse before going over to Hotch and handing it to him to look through. Despite Sera being quite open about not minding the team going through her purse, what with the fact that she would keep snacks, clothes, her medical kit and a wide variety of other items in the unassuming tiny beaded bag* (she had once explained that she got the idea of enchanting the bag from Hermione, who had done the same to a small beaded red bag when they went on the run during their Seventh Year at Hogwarts), they mostly preferred it if Hotch did the actual rummaging instead of any of them. Their reasoning was simple, just as she wouldn’t go through their belongings unless she had no other choice, even with permission, they would give her the same courtesy as she so rightly deserved. There was also the fact that the bag often had magical items, including potions of the magical and non-magical variety. They would ask Hotch to do it as he would be the only one not affected by any magical item or potion that would be inside – as well as Sera being able to know immediately if he had been affected and deal with it accordingly.

 _“Jammie Dodgers?”_ Hotch asked her mentally, his hand wrapped around the package.

 _“Yes.”_ She replied, and he took the package out, handing it to Reid who smiled widely.

“Thanks!” the genius called with a wide smile, going to the break room to grab a plate to put the biscuits in.

Sera laughed as she watched him, the genius looking so happy at the prospect of having his favorite biscuits, a kind that he doesn’t get regularly as Sera would have them brought in from England.

It was then that Morgan entered with Mrs. Gordon’s would-be rapist, followed by Elle and JJ.

“He confessed to Mrs. Gordon’s attack before we even got to the car.” Elle told her and Hotch before walking away as Sera called out her thanks.

“Should make the 11:00 news.” JJ said, the three of them came to a stop not far from Gideon, who had gone back to the murder boards after JJ, Morgan and Elle left.

“Were they able to get good footage?” Sera asked as Jade made her way to JJ, climbing up the blonde’s arm and curling around her neck.

“Yeah, couldn’t miss him.” JJ replied, gently rubbing Jade’s head as the serpent hissed her pleasure.

“Good. Now we wait.” Gideon said, turning to them slightly as the three younger agents looked at him.

“Call Garcia.” Hotch told JJ, who nodded and moved to the side, pulling out her phone and dialing Garcia’s number.

The following near hour was spent waiting for the unsub to call, Hotch pacing the length of the bullpen, Reid and Elle sitting at one desk and talking quietly, Morgan, Detective Martin and several other detectives sitting at various desks around the bullpen all but staring at the phones in front of them, JJ (with Jade fast asleep around her neck) at a desk and on the phone with Garcia as she told the blonde technical analyst that they were still waiting at nearly 15 minute intervals and Gideon at another desk with his legs on top of the table and leaning back in his chair.

Sera, who had spent the first 20 minutes pacing along side Hotch, spent the next 30 minutes in the bathroom enduring a particularly nasty round of puking brought on by her pregnancy.

A short while after she returned to the bullpen, rubbing her belly and sipping at a bottle of flat ginger-ale that Hotch handed her, the phone rang, and Detective Martin answered it.

“Hey, hey, hey.” He whispered, jumping out of his seat and waving his arm around. “It’s him.” He pointed to the phone that was at his ear.

Hotch, Sera and Gideon joined Elle and Reid at their desk as JJ told them – and Garcia - what line the call was patched into. As Elle patched into the call, Sera cast a mild Silencing spell on them as a precaution.

 _“You stupid, incompetent sons of bitches! I don’t make mistakes! I am Death! You hear me?!_ I _am Death! You’ll see now. Tomorrow. Mark my words, you will see. And while I’m taking her, I’m going to be thinking of you.”_ With that final warning, the man hung up the phone.

“Anything?” JJ asked Garcia. She paused for a moment as she listened to Garcia’s response. “She said she got nothing.” JJ shook her head as she spoke, her voice soft and regretful.

“Nothing?” Morgan repeated incredulously.

“We missed him?” Sera asked in dismay, swaying slightly.

Hotch immediately steadied her as Gideon grabbed a chair, gently pushing her into it while Hotch kept his hand on her shoulders as she squeezed it.

The frustration in the bullpen was almost tangible as they looked at each other in sorrow. If the warning was to be believed, another woman was going to pay the price of their actions and none of them had the strength to bear that burden, not even Sera who had been carrying the weight of a Nation since she was 15-months old.

XXXXXXXXX

The next morning, bright and early, when they returned to the station house, they made arrangements to go undercover, staking out the possible locations within the unsub’s target zone.

“We have an undercover car for each of your teams and the entire damn department out there, too.” Griffiths said, walking over to where Elle, Gideon, Hotch, Sera and Reid – with Jade around his neck - were standing by the murder boards.

“Remember, a truck. Maybe a work truck in excellent condition.” Gideon reminded him.

“All right, he might make a mistake today.” Hotch said. “He’s angry, and he probably hasn’t done the kind of surveillance he’d like.”

“Yeah, well, neither have we.” Morgan said, walking up to them from behind. He clapped Reid on the shoulder as he said, “Let’s go, Reid.”

Reid nodded and followed Morgan out of the bullpen, wearing an FBI jacket over his button-down shirt.

“I’ll bring the car around.” Elle told Gideon, getting a nod as he gave her the keys, her own FBI jacket folded over her arm.

“We’ll find him Jason.” Sera told Gideon reassuringly, smiling radiantly up at him as Hotch clapped him on the shoulder before the two walked out of the precinct as well, Gideon watching them go.

Sera was wearing a mint green floor-length cap-sleeved dress, loose at the bust and ruched along the abdomen and waist as it stretched gently over her bump, not quite medieval in nature but still regal and elegant, with a round neckline and a thick pastel mauve border along the bottom hem*,with her belt around her hips, the matching mint green 4” pumps on her feet. She had earrings in her ears (pastel mauve diamonds making up the 6 petals of the flower with the white diamond in the center) her wedding rings on her left hand, her Gryffindor House class ring and her charm bracelet on her right hand, and her wedding necklace around her neck. Her hair was in its usual 5-strand French braid, the vermillion in the center of her hairline, with the matching pastel mauve leaf bindi between her eyebrows and her glasses perched on her nose.

Her wands, both strapped to their arm holsters, were hidden by magic and by the Mist, unseen despite her short sleeves.

They drove the SUV to their designated location, Hotch in the driver seat with his shades perched on his noes and Sera in the passenger seat beside him, her glasses transitioned to shades. They sat in silence, watching the patrol cars, the residents and the other undercover units pass them by.

“Aaron?” Sera said, breaking the silence.

“What is it, Snow? What’s wrong?”

“I’m scared.” She admitted, biting her lip and looking up at him. “Not just of the feedback from Death, but for the woman’s family if we fail.”

“Snow, you’re not alone.” Hotch told her gently, taking her small hand in his larger one and holding it firmly. “Not in our fight against these criminals, not at home and not in your mind.” He punctuated his statement with a wave of love, making her smile up at him. “And your fear? You’re definitely not alone in that either. We all are feeling the weight of the possibilities, all the ways it can go wrong. But Snow, there are just as many ways that it can go right.”

Before Hotch could say anything else, his phone rang.

“What you got?” he asked, answering the phone and putting it on speaker.

 _“He’s a phone technician, Hotch, Sera. Police are looking for someone walking around the neighborhood in broad daylight. Who notices a person up on a pole?” Gideon_ told them, ending with a rhetorical question.

“He can watch for husbands leaving for work, watch for police patrols, know when they neighborhood’s quiet.” Hotch stated, exchanging looks with Sera.

_“He knows when he’ll have plenty of time. He can even tap into a phone line to make sure someone’s home. How about routing a call through 25 substations? Backyard? Hey, he’s just looking for a pole. Got tape? Of course, he does. Wire? He’s a repairman.”_

“That sounds right, Jason.” Sera said as the two of them looked around the area every few minutes.

_“It is right, and we have his name.”_

They ended the call after Gideon gave them the name, Franklin Graney. Several minutes later, Sera’s phone rang.

“Potter.” She said as she answered it and put it speaker.

_“Sera, it’s Elle. Graney is on service calls in the area of Orange and Chandler. Gideon wants you to get the team and any S.D. cops you can round up.”_

“Got it.” Hotch said as Sera and Elle ended the connection,

Hotch turned the SUV on and began driving, the sirens on as he sped along the roads, Sera calling Morgan and Reid and telling them where to meet. Hotch pulled up to Gideon and Elle’s location, and the soul-mated pair got out.

“Fan out. Go through yards. Look at telephone poles.” Gideon said as the two jogged towards him and passed by without breaking their stride as they voiced their acknowledgment of the order. “He’s around here.”

Hotch and Sera stayed together while Elle and Gideon went in separate directions. For several tense minutes, Hotch and Sera looked through the yards and up at telephone poles, not seeing any sign of Graney.

When Gideon called Hotch’s phone, the call lasted only a few seconds before he hung up.

“875 Orange. Back door.” Hotch said, seeing Sera’s questioning look as he dialed Elle and told her where to meet them.

She nodded and looked at the house numbers before pointing in a certain direction.

“That way.”

He nodded, and the two agents ran towards the house in question, slowing to a walk with their guns drawn when they reached the back gate, Elle joining them. Going through the yard, they heard the sound of a child crying. They exchanged looks and cautiously walked inside the house through the kitchen door, seeing the crying child in the high chair.

“Snow, stay here with the baby.” Hotch said quietly.

Sera nodded, holstering her gun as Hotch and Elle quietly made their way up the stairs. She picked up the toddler, carrying him in her arms and gently rubbing his back as he slowly stopped crying. He looked at her with wide eyes, tears streaked on his round rosy cheeks.

Sera took some paper towel and went to the sink, perching the baby on the counter with his legs on either side of her as she turned the water on to a mildly warm setting before gently cleaning the baby’s face.

He smiled widely at her, playing with her braid that was hanging over her shoulder.

“Mama.” He said a few seconds later, looking around the kitchen. “Mama.”

“Mama is upstairs my darling.” Sera said softly.

 _“Snow? You can come upstairs to the master bedroom. We’re taking Graney outside.”_ Hotch mentally told her.

 _“Okay.”_ She replied. _“Perfect timing.”_ She picked the toddler up as she said, “Let’s go see Mama.”

“Mama.” The baby repeated happily, clapping his hands as Sera carried him towards the stairs.

Going up, they passed Hotch leading a handcuffed Graney out. Hotch gestured to the room with his head and Sera nodded in understanding. Coming to a stop outside the room, Sera could hear the mother crying and calling for the baby.

She knocked on the open door, being careful that the baby couldn’t see inside.

“Ma’am, your child is with me. Would you like to see him?” Sera asked.

“Please. Let me see my baby.” The mother pleaded, and Sera entered the room with a smile.

“Look little one. It’s Mama.” Sera said in a soft tone, gently bouncing the baby on her hip.

“Mama.” The baby called, putting his arms out towards the woman on the bed.

“Jordan. Oh, my God, Jordan.” The woman cried, putting her arms out for the child as she sat up.

Elle covered her with a thin blanket to preserve her dignity as Sera gently placed Jordan in her arms.

“Thank you. Thank you.” The woman said repeatedly, tears streaming down her face as she held the toddler close.

“You’re going to be all right.” Sera said softly, perching on the side of the bed and rubbing the woman’s back as she out her head on the witch’s shoulder.

Sera soothingly rubbed the woman’s back as Gideon looked out the window.

XXXXXXX

Later, after officially closing the case and changing into fresh clothes, they returned to the jet for the journey home.

Elle and JJ were seated across from each other, JJ looking over the files and drinking tea while Elle was asleep, Morgan was on the other side of the aisle and seated across an empty seat, fast asleep with blankets covering the two sleeping agents, courtesy of Sera, Reid and Gideon were seated opposite each other behind Morgan on the doubles, playing a game of chess, while Sera was fast asleep on the long sofa with her head in Hotch’s lap as he looked over a file, the witch barefoot and with a blanket covering the blue dress she had changed into. Her long hair was untied and falling over the arm of the sofa as Hotch ran his fingers through the think dark locks.

Jade was curled on the table between Elle and JJ fast asleep, the blonde agent absently rubbing the serpent’s scales.

In the midst of the chess game, Gideon gave Reid his birthday gift, Redskins tickets, and hinted to the young genius of a team member who was a huge fan, JJ. Just before getting up to talk to the pretty Liaison and invite her to the next football match, Reid made his final move in the game, checkmating Gideon for the first time.

Gideon chuckled lightly, the sound echoed by Hotch who had heard the conversation but stayed silent.

_ Links _

_*Sera dress -_ [ _https://www.pinterest.com/pin/474566879474264496/_ ](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/474566879474264496/)

_*Sera earrings -_ [ _https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/377950593719710134/_ ](https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/377950593719710134/)

_*Sera 2 nd dress - _ [ _https://www.pinterest.com/pin/382594930826710284/_ ](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/382594930826710284/)

_*Sera 3 rd dress - _ [ _https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/423197696217397361/_ ](https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/423197696217397361/)

_*Sera purse (changes colors in correspondence to her outfit) -_ [ _https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/30610472439478962/_ ](https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/30610472439478962/)


	5. Broken Mirror

** Chapter 5: Broken Mirror **

F.B.I., Behavioral Analysis Unit – Quantico, Virginia

Sera groaned as she left the ladies’ bathroom just outside the BAU bullpen, rubbing her 24-week pregnancy belly and sipping water from her water bottle. She had just spent the last 10 minutes throwing up everything she had eaten that day. Like with her previous pregnancies, she was grateful for the nutrition potions that Draco had given her; despite the foul taste, they did what they were meant to and helped her maintain her nutrition since she was constantly throwing up everything that she ate.

The Behavioral Analysis Unit’s resident witch was wearing a crème floor-length cap-sleeved dress, loose at the bust and ruched along the abdomen and waist as it stretched gently over her bump, not quite medieval in nature but still regal and elegant, with a round neckline and a thick fuchsia border along the bottom hem*,with her belt around her hips, the matching fuchsia 4” pumps on her feet. She had earrings in her ears (fuchsia diamonds making up the 6 petals of the flower with the white diamond in the center) her wedding rings on her left hand, her Gryffindor House class ring and her charm bracelet on her right hand, and her wedding necklace around her neck. Her raven black hair was into 3-strand fishtail French braid and wrapped into a bun* with her fringe tucked behind one ear, the vermillion in the center of her hairline, with the matching fuchsia leaf bindi between her eyebrows and her glasses perched on her nose.

Her wands, strapped to their arm holsters, were hidden by magic and by the Mist, unseen despite her short sleeves.

She was stopped in the hallway by an agent, who passed her a message regarding the files pertaining to a recent kidnapping before walking away, while the witch entered the bullpen behind Morgan – with Jade perched on his head and curling around his shoulders - and Reid, talking about Morgan’s flirting and ‘way with the ladies’ while Jade hissed her amusement, not that either agent understood what she was saying.

“My code of survival says never to mess with a woman who carries a gun.” Morgan was saying to Reid as she walked passed them.

“Or a wand!” Sera added over her shoulder as she headed up to the mezzanine, going towards Hotch’s office rather than her own.

“So, it sounds like bedrest isn’t turning out to be very restful.” Hotch was saying into his phone as Sera came to a stop in the doorway.

She knocked on the door and he glanced at her, holding up a finger in a gesture to give him a moment. She nodded, Hotch chuckling softly as he listened to what Haley was saying to him.

“Honey, just try to relax and get some rest, okay?” He said gently. He listened to her reply before saying his goodbye and hanging up the phone.

“How is she doing, being on bed rest?” Sera asked as he turned to her.

“Well, the doctors are worried about her blood-sugar levels. They’re worried about pre-eclampsia, and I’m worried she won’t last 6 weeks in bed.” He replied as he walked around the desk and towards the door.

“She is carrying a magical baby. A powerful magical baby.” Sera reminded him gently. “It is never easy for a non-magical woman to carry a magical child.”

It is extremely stressful for a non-magical woman to carry a magical child, especially if there is no recent history of magic use on either side of the child’s family tree. Pregnancies with half-blooded children, while still being stressful if the non-magical parent is the mother, is not quite so bad as the magical parent is able to help balance the child’s magic, something that magical parents can do almost instinctively before the baby’s born. After the baby’s born, the parent’s magical level return to their personal base lines.

“I know.” He replied, nodding before asking, “Is it here?”

“Yes, it only just arrived.”

With that response, the two walked out of the office.

“Reid, Morgan, Elle, document’s up on the screen regarding the kidnapping of Trish Davenport.” Hotch said, putting his worry about his wife and the pregnancy aside so that he could focus on their case, bringing a young woman back home to her family.

The three agents looked up at them, loosing their relaxed postures and becoming the professional agents they were.

“Have you read them yet?” Reid asked as he walked between the desks and up the mezzanine stairs, joining Hotch and Sera as they headed to the Briefing Room, Elle and Morgan half a step behind.

“Yes. We had received copies from the document examiner.” Sera replied.

“What’s it say?” Morgan asked.

“That we’ve got until 8:00 tonight.” Hotch replied as they entered the room, joining Gideon, who was already standing in front of the screen.

They came to a stop next to the senior agent and looked at the screen while Reid read the ransom note aloud. It had been scanned into the Case Record Database, allowing the agents to have access without needing to be in the same place.

_“You will follow instructions carefully. You will do this to ensure the safety of your daughter. You will wait for the call. You will answer the call at 8:00 P.M. You will write down the instructions and follow them to the letter.”_

“That gives us less than 9 hours to get to Connecticut, work up Victimology on Trish Davenport, and prepare her father for the ransom drop.” Hotch said as Gideon looked at his watch, noting the time.

“How do we know the letter’s real?” Gideon asked.

“Uh, the handwriting is a match for Trish’s.” Hotch replied, using the remote to show the sample of Trish Davenport’s handwriting that her father had provided. “He dictated it to her, and they found saline on the paper.” He zoomed in to the bottom corner, where there were three darker wet patches on the paper.

“Her tears.” Gideon said softly, his voice grave.

“He does not say ‘I’ at any time.” Sera said with a frown, looking at the screen and reading the note again to herself. “He does not say ‘I will call’. He says, ‘You will answer the call.’”

“He’s distancing himself from the kidnapping.” Morgan explained, crossing his arms over his chest and perching on the edge of the table behind him. Jade shifted from her perch on Morgan’s head to Hotch’s shoulders, the man shifting slightly to accommodate the serpent. “If he said ‘I’, he’d be taking responsibility for it.”

“There’s also another missing element.” Hotch pointed out.

“No mention of the police.” Elle said. “Ransom notes almost always forbid police involvement.”

“So, is he expecting law enforcement to get involved?” Hotch asked.

“Well, if he’s expecting us, let’s not disappoint him.” Gideon said, turning and walking out of the Briefing Room, followed by the rest of the team, Sera with her phone out and making the arrangements for the jet.

The speed and efficiency with which they grabbed their bags, left the FBI building and arrived at the airstrip was testament to the urgency of the case. There was a young woman counting on them to bring her home alive and none of them wanted to let her down. Not her or her father who was counting on them just as much.

Within half an hour, the team was in the air, unbuckling once the jet steadied after the ascent.

“Everyone familiar with the father?” Hotch asked, looking at the time on his laptop – 1:08 P.M. He was sitting on a single seat across from Sera, who had Jade curled in her lap.

“Evan Davenport.” Reid replied, sitting on the love seat across from Gideon. He turned slightly to look at Hotch as he continued. “U.S Attorney. Executive Assistant, Southern District, New York. Widower. Assigned U.S Marshalls three times in the past 10 years due to death threats.”

“Is the protective detail still current?” Morgan asked, seated across the aisle from Hotch.

“At all times.” Sera replied. “However, Trish declined the protection once she turned 18.”

“Too bad for the boyfriend.” Morgan muttered, just loud enough for them all to hear, as he looked at a photograph.

“But why kill him?” Reid asked.

Sera voiced her agreeing confusion. She never understood the need for senseless killing, something that was quite ironic considering her past.

“Well, if I’m gonna kidnap someone, I know I have to take out whoever’s with ‘em.” Morgan replied, glancing at Reid and Sera. He looked back at the file as he sighed. “It says here that she’s got a sister.”

“Cheryl.” Sera replied.

“Any problems? Were they close?” Morgan asked.

“Yeah. They’re identical twins.” Reid replied, taking a photograph of the girls in cheerleading uniforms and holding it up for Morgan to see.

XXXXXXXX

Arriving in Connecticut, Gideon, Hotch and Reid went to the Davenport residence where a team of agents from the local Field Office were scanning the home for any listening devices or bugs before they would bring in their own equipment.

Morgan, Sera and Elle on the other hand drove to the kidnapping site where Cheryl Davenport was with the pair of bodyguards that had been assigned to her as well as a few police officers.

Getting out of the front seat of the SUV, Sera glanced at her watch and noted the time – 4:00 P.M. As Morgan and Elle got out of the car as well, the three agents looked to where the bodyguards, a male and a female, were watching and saw Cheryl Davenport laying on her back in the middle of the road, her ankles crossed and her hands folded over her abdomen.

“What’s she doing?” Morgan asked the bodyguards.

“Lying on the road.” The male guard replied.

“Yeah, I can see that. _Why_ is she lying on the road?” Morgan elaborated.

 “She’s trying to get a feel for what happened to her sister.” The female bodyguard replied as they walked over to her.

“By lying on the ground?” Morgan asked skeptically as Elle took the file and walked forwards, stopping a few feet away from where Cheryl was laying, mentally mapping out the scene with the information that they had been given.

“The girl spent her teenage years perfecting ways to ditch her bodyguards.” The male guard said.

“We’re just happy she’s in our line of sight.” The female guard said, leaning against the car with her arms folded across her chest.

“I remember those days.” Sera said with a slight smile, thinking back to her countless methods of ditching her Order, and later Ministry, appointed guards.

The two bodyguards looked at her with a raised eyebrow, taking in the dress, the bindi, the vermillion and the snake around her neck. Elle looked up from the file as Morgan and Sera walked towards her. Elle and Morgan exchanged disbelieving looks while Sera wondered how the blonde was doing in her attempt to find out what had happened.

“Cheryl Davenport?” Morgan called.

“Sh.” Cheryl said, not moving except to briefly hold up her finger in added motion. Elle and Morgan exchanged looks once more as Cheryl added, “Just a minute.” Morgan rolled his eyes and gave a silent chuckle. Almost as if Cheryl knew what the muscled agent was thinking, she said, “No. I’m not crazy. I’m lying here for a reason.”

“We are aware Miss. Davenport.” Sera said reassuringly, shooting Morgan a dark look. “Have you been able to ascertain anything?”

Cheryl sat up, her eyes moving back and forth as she looked around the immediate area. “He dragged her from the car.” She said as she stood up, brushing the dry dirt off her hands and her skirt as she walked forwards. She stopped in front of Morgan, looking at the ground by his feet and pointing. “This is where she fell. Trish is a fighter, she wouldn’t have gone quietly. Not even with a gun pointed at her.”

“She’s right.” Elle said to her teammates with a nod, glancing at the file and looking at the two of them. She pointed to a specific section of the incident report as she continued, “There’s nail marks in the car seat.”

“You believe that your sister still lives?” Sera asked, knowing the woman was more-than-likely still alive – not having the crippling increase of pain that is associated with a person dying - but wanting to know what the blonde in front of her believed.

“I know she’s still alive.” Cheryl replied firmly, looking at them with determined eyes, silently telling them she won’t be swayed from her belief.

To her credit, she didn’t even look twice at Sera’s attire or the jewel green snake that was looking at her.

“Know the way twins… know?” Elle asked, her skepticism clear in her voice and on her face.

Cheryl rolled her eyes as she said, “Not the ‘I can feel my twin’s pain’ crap. If you stick her with a needle, I won’t cry out. But if something is bothering her, if something is wrong, I can feel it. Even from a thousand miles away at college.”

Morgan walked away to look at the scene from an unsub’s perspective, as was one of his areas of expertise.

“You study Physics, right?” Elle asked as Sera sighed.

“If you’re asking why a Science Major would believe in something non-scientific, I don’t.” Cheryl replied. “I just know what I feel.” She looked to Morgan as she said firmly, “My feeling is that my sister is still alive.”

“We believe you Miss. Davenport.” Sera replied reassuringly as Morgan nodded his agreement. Elle was still slightly skeptical but didn’t say anything, she worked with a witch who spoke to snakes and had a powerful Soul Bond with another agent. At Cheryl’s disbelieving look, the blonde clearly thinking that the pregnant woman was humoring her, Sera added, “I know a pair of twins who are much the same.”

Cheryl nodded in reply, accepting that she wasn’t being humored. Morgan returned to examining the scene, now being the one earning the raised eyebrows for the strange behavior.

“What is he doing?” Cheryl asked as Morgan looked through the branches and walked along the road.

“He’s roleplaying.” Elle replied.

 “How does that work?”

“He is attempting to think as the kidnapper does. He is attempting to gain a sense of him through his behavior.” Sera replied, leaning against the bonnet of the car while the other two women stood by the road side.

“That doesn’t sound very scientific, does it?” Cheryl asked with a slight chuckle.

“No it does not.” Sera replied with a slight chuckle as Elle stayed silent. “Then again, I don’t believe in a scientific reason for everything.”

“Then what do you believe?” Cheryl asked, turning to her.

“Magic.” Sera had a slight smirk on her face as she looked at the pretty blonde.

Cheryl raised her eyebrow at the reply, which had not been what she had been expecting.

“Okay, she was rarely without the boyfriend.” Morgan said to himself as he took a deep breath and closed his eyes, the sound drawing the three women away from their conversation. He opened his eyes once more and looked at the road. “Well, I know that in order to get to her, I gotta take him out. He was collateral damage.” Morgan paused as he looked to the side, imagining the scene as it occurred. “Or was he?” he shook his head, something not adding up to him. “The shot was to the face. That’s personal.” Morgan walked around the scene, staying in the area that the car had been. “Kill the boyfriend.” The wheels turned in his head, a theory forming that made slightly more sense. “Get him out of the way, so I can get her.” Elle joined Sera by the car while Cheryl stayed where she was, watching the man in the suit. He turned and stared at Cheryl, seeing her standing alone, as he finished, “Alone.”

XXXXXXX

Returning to the house when the sky darkened and the deadline approached, Morgan, Elle and Sera went to the kitchen to talk while Cheryl joined her father in the dining room where Reid, Gideon and Agent Shyer were explaining about the equipment to the two Davenport’s. Jade had gone off to hunt for food before they entered the house, though she stayed within calling distance.

“So you think Cheryl’s a wackjob because she claims she can feel her sister’s anxiety?” Elle asked Morgan, leaning their hands against the island counter.

“I never said wackjob.” Morgan said, shaking his head. “And it’s not that I don’t believe her. Honestly, since meeting Rapunzel here,” he gestured to Sera who was sitting on the island counter. Morgan had a habit of calling her by the names of various Disney princesses, except for Snow White – that was a name Hotch had for her and he was the only one she let use it. “I have begun to believe in a lot more than I once did. I just find it hard to believe, since she’s not magical nor does she have any bond with her sister except for a familial one.”

“As I had told Cheryl earlier, I know a pair of twins who can in fact communicate with one another.” Sera said. With a slight pondering frown, she added, “Though they were magical, and quite powerful.”

“Actually, there may be a physiological basis for it.” Reid said, walking in to the kitchen and coming to a stop between Morgan and Elle. While Elle and Morgan groaned at the explanation they were about to receive, Reid continued on, oblivious to their reactions. “Reversed dissymmetry. Monozygotic eggs split late. Between 9 to 12 days. The DNA matches right down to the very last strand of code. There’s sporadic documentation of shared physiological pain.”

“And you believe it?” Morgan asked.

“No. I’m just saying it’s possible for non-magicals.” Reid replied as Hotch joined them. “I don’t know everything. I mean, despite the fact that you think that I do.”

“I never said that. When have I ever said that?” Morgan replied defensively.

“Every day since I met you.” Reid replied with a laugh.

“This morning at breakfast.” Elle added.

“Yesterday, when he had beaten you at a card game.” Sera added.

“Guys, we’ve got one minute.” Hotch told them in lieu of adding another incident.

“Anybody ever heard of sarcasm?” Morgan asked sarcastically as he helped Sera down from the counter.

Reid and Elle gave an “Mm-hmm.” In response as they regained their professional masks and walked out of the kitchen.

They joined Gideon and Mr. Davenport in the dining room, the father looking exhausted, weary and out of his mind with worry. Sera sat in an arm chair while Hotch stood beside her, Reid sat in a chair on her other side, Elle stood beside Cheryl and Morgan beside Mr. Davenport.

Echoing through the house was the bell as it told them of the hour – 8:00 P.M.

“Remember, keep your voice even and calm.” Gideon told the man gently, getting a nod of understanding. “And agree with everything he says.”

Mr. Davenport interlocked his fingers, his elbows on the table, fidgeting slightly as the clock on the mantelpiece showed 8:01.

“He’s late.” Mr. Davenport said, barely holding back his anxiety as the clocked showed 8:02.

“He will call you Mr. Davenport.” Sera said soothingly. “Please try to relax. This is his strategy. He wishes for you to be on edge.”

Mr. Davenport nodded tearfully, his mouth trembling beneath his beard as he fiddled with his hands.

The phone rang and they all straightened from their near relaxed positions.

“Remember to repeat any important information he gives you to make sure you understand.” Gideon told him as Reid and Sera put the head phones on their heads while Morgan and Hotch picked up a headset each, holding one side to their ears. “You try to keep him talking to reveal something about Trish or about himself.”

Getting a nod from the nervous man beside him, Gideon hit the answer button on the machine as Mr. Davenport took a deep breath.

“This is Evan Davenport.” He said in a rough voice.

 _“Hello Mr. Davenport.”_ A male voice replied after a few tense seconds.

“Are you the man who has my daughter, Patricia?”

_“I have your daughter.”_

“Can I ask you-?”

 _“You may ask me nothing.”_ The voice cut him off. _“This is not an interrogatory. You will listen only to my instructions.”_

“Okay.”

_“But I will not give them to you.”_

“I don’t understand.” Mr. Davenport said with a frown.

_“I do not want to talk to you, Mr. Davenport.”_

The confusion was now mirrored by the rest who were in the room as they all exchanged confused frowns.

“Excuse me?”

_“I want to talk to her. I want to talk to Cheryl.”_

At the reply, Mr. Davenport and Cheryl looked at each other, the daughter with tears in her eyes, confused and frightened beyond belief for her sister’s life.

Gideon pressed the mute button and as soon as the red light flashed indicating that it was active, Mr. Davenport asked, “What’s he doing?”

“What most of the offenders we catch try to do.” Morgan replied, perching on the arm of Sera’s chair as Reid shifted his chair slightly to give the older man some room. “Establish dominance.”

“How long can we keep him on hold?” Elle asked, her arms crossed over her chest.

“We cannot let her speak with him.” Sera said.

“Why not?” Cheryl asked, looking at her. “I wanna help. I’ll talk to him.”

Sera and Hotch shook their heads in response.

“Cheryl does not command the authority her father commands.” Sera said with a frown.

“Sera’s right.” Morgan said. “He shouldn’t want to speak to her.”

“I think that she should speak to him.” Elle said.

_“Do I need to repeat myself? I want to talk to Cheryl. Put her on the phone. Now.”_

“No.” Gideon said to the Davenports, shaking his head.

“I think she should speak to him.” Elle said insistently. “He wants to talk to her. The more he speaks, the more he reveals.”

“She is correct Jason.” Sera said, her reluctance clear in her voice.

“He has my sister.” Cheryl cried out.

Gideon looked up at the young woman standing across the table from him and at the man seated beside him. Mr. Davenport shook his head, silently pleading with the senior agent to not let his daughter speak to the kidnapper.

_“I’m waiting.”_

“Sera.” Gideon said, turning to the witch as he held his hand over the mute button.

Sera nodded and stood up, walking around the table to sit in the chair that Mr. Davenport vacated.

“Alright.” She said with a nod.

“Remember, American accent and not aristocratic.” Hotch reminded her.

Sera nodded as Gideon turned off the mute button.

“This is Cheryl.” Sera said, speaking in an American accent and mimicking the blonde’s voice almost perfectly. “Hello? This is Cheryl.”

_“I have Patricia by my side. I know her voice, therefore I know her sister’s. Get off the phone, witch. I want Cheryl. I’ll give you 60 seconds. If you don’t put her on the phone, I will hang up and you will never hear from me or Patricia again.”_

As the kidnapper spoke, they all exchanged looks. When he called Sera a witch, the two Davenports had confused looks on their faces as the rest wondered how the kidnapper would know that, Reid making the note on his laptop where he had been typing key points.

Gideon pressed the mute button and turned to Sera and Elle, who was standing next to Cheryl.

“Prep her.” He ordered and the two women nodded as Gideon stood up and walked around to Cheryl. “Come on over here, please.”

_“50 seconds.”_

Sera stood up as Gideon guided Cheryl to the chair and sat her down, Sera sitting down on one side and Elle on the other. Mr. Davenport crouched next to his daughter, one hand on her back in a comforting manner.

“This man is arrogant. Let him know that he is the one in control. Let him guide the conversation.” Sera began, once again in her British and aristocratic accent, as Cheryl nodded in understanding.

_“40 seconds.”_

“Use your sister’s name. Say, ‘my sister, Trish,’ or ‘her name’s Patricia’.” Elle added.

_“35 seconds”_

“Okay.” Cheryl said, her voice slightly faint.

“Speak about her. Let him get to know her through you. Do not stray from the topic.” Sera added.

Cheryl nodded.

“Got it.” The blonde said, her voice slightly stronger than it had been a few seconds earlier.

“Agree with him. Tell him that you understand him.” Elle added.

_“25 seconds.”_

“And as difficult as it may be, empathize with him. Inform him that you are aware that he did not mean to hurt Trish or go this far. Inform him that he is able still to fix this unfortunate circumstance.” Sera added.

“Okay.” Cheryl whispered, her hands clenching and unclenching the material of her skirt.

“He has a chance to show that he’s a kind and forgiving person by letting your sister go.” Elle added.

_“10 seconds.”_

“And if you do not know what to say, we will guide you.” Sera finished and Cheryl looked at her gratefully.

 _“3… 2…”_ Elle reached out and pressed the button right after he sad, _“1.”_

“This is Cheryl.” She began in a hesitant voice, her father rubbing her back comfortingly as she reached out and grabbed Sera’s hand, squeezing it tightly.

 _“Hello Cheryl.”_ The man said tenderly. _“How are you?”_

Cheryl looked at Elle, who smiled encouragingly as Reid made a note on the kidnapper knowing the twins.

“I’d be a lot better if I knew that my sister, Patricia’s okay.” Cheryl replied after a moment of hesitation.

When he didn’t respond immediately, she gained a worried expression on her face as she squeezed Sera’s hand tightly.

_“I can tell you have a lot of empathy, Cheryl. You care about others.”_

“Yes, I do. And it sounds like you understand.” Cheryl replied.

_“You mean that I empathize?”_

“Yes.” Cheryl said with a slight frown.

 _“I do. Very much.”_ The kidnapper replied as Reid made a note on the use of empathy. _“I empathize. I empathize with you, Cheryl. I know you want to be with your sister.”_

Elle held up a paper that said, ‘You want Trish back’. Cheryl nodded in understanding.

“Yes, I want Trish back.”

_“Good. Tell me what you want, Cheryl. I’m very interested. Tell me all about yourself. What’s your favorite color?”_

Sera reached out and pressed the mute button, causing Cheryl and her father to look at her.

“Do not answer the question. Remain on topic with Trish.” She said, getting a nod from Cheryl. Sera pressed the button once more, canceling the mute.

“If I tell you, will you let me talk to my sister?” Cheryl asked after a moment of hesitation and nervousness.

They heard the kidnapper chuckle.

_“Maybe. Maybe not.”_

At the reply, Cheryl’s eyes filled with tears, her father just as torn though was doing a better job of keeping it in.

“I like blue.” Cheryl replied almost dejectedly.

 _“How ordinary.”_ The kidnapper replied as Mr. Davenport rubbed Cheryl’s shoulder soothingly. _“Do you like chocolate, Cheryl?”_

Cheryl shook her head and frowned in confusion.

 _“Do. You. Like. Chocolate?”_ the kidnapper repeated, emphasizing each word.

“Yes.”

_“I do as well.”_

“Please. Let me talk to my sister.” Cheryl pleaded. For several seconds, there was no reply with pin drop silence on both ends. “All I want to do is hear her voice. Please.”

Cheryl’s face, which was scrunched in pain when there was no reply, smoothed out with hope expressed all over when they heard a creak of a door.

“Hello?” she said cautiously.

 _“C-Cheryl.”_ A disoriented female voice said on the other end.

“Trish?” Cheryl called hopefully as Mr. Davenport gave a sigh of relief that his daughter was still alive.

_“Cheryl, is that you?”_

“Trish, it’s me. I’m here. Are you okay?”

 _“Cheryl… I can’t…”_ Trish said, disoriented.

“Where are you? What do you see?” Cheryl asked frantically.

 _“I-I see the moon.”_ Trish replied.

There was another creak, the sound of a door opening or closing.

“Trish!” Cheryl screamed frantically. “Trish!”

 _“Have 500 thousand ready.”_ The kidnapper ordered.

“Let me talk to her!” Cheryl screamed.

_“$500 thousand is what I’m owed. The Davenports will wait by the phone. You will receive a call with precise instructions in exactly 15 minutes.”_

With that, he hung up the call and Cheryl lost her battle against her tears, getting up and running out of the room with her father following close behind her.

“Where you able to trace it?” Gideon asked Reid.

“No. He’s probably using a disposable cell phone. They’re nearly impossible to trace.” Reid replied, removing the headset and letting hang around his neck.

“She said she could see the moon.” Elle pointed out.

“She sounded delirious.” Gideon replied.

“She was under sedation.” Sera said, leaning back in her chair as Jade slithered into the room.

“Could’ve been a light.” Gideon said.

“If he’s keeping her drugged, it might mean he’s not very strong.” Morgan said as Jade slithered up his chair and curled around his neck. “He might have to keep her weak just so he can dominate her.”

“Or he is doing so to keep her silent.” Sera said. “There is also the fact that he knew I am a witch.”

“So he could be magical.” Elle suggested.

“I do not believe so.” Sera replied with a slight frown. “If he were magical, all he would have needed to do to take Miss. Davenport was hand her an item of little consequence that had been turned into a Portkey and there would be no trace for non-magical authorities. He also would have no need to keep her under sedation, a simple Silencing Charm would suffice as would any Binding spell.”

“And if he had used magic, we wouldn’t have gotten wind of it until it was too late to trace.” Hotch added.

“Or he could’ve just been using it as a derogatory term.” Morgan replied.

“There’s also another possibility.” Reid said. “He could be aware of magic in some way.”

“This is true.” Sera said. “He could have a magical family member, he could be among those that are informed of the Magical World, he could be magical himself though not particularly powerful. Or as Morgan stated, he simply called me thus as a manner of contempt. The possibilities are near endless.”

Despite the many possibilities of the kidnapper calling Sera a witch, none of them ruled out the possibility that he was a magical himself. None of them could afford to, not with how closely guarded the secret was.

“Has Davenport told us everything about his staff?” Gideon asked, wanting to be certain they weren’t missing anything.

“Uh, yeah.” Hotch replied softly, standing behind Sera and squeezing her shoulders gently. “We have detailed reports but we should probably revisit background on household staff, aides, and current docket.”

“Guys, she wasn’t blindfolded.” Morgan said quietly.

“No.” Gideon said, just as quietly.

“If she has seen his face, as soon as he receives his money…” Sera trailed off, squeezing Hotch’s hands that were still on her shoulders.

“He’ll kill her.” Gideon finished gravely as Reid printed out the transcripts of the call.

Morgan and Elle carefully moved the equipment to the side, clearing the surface of the dining table.

Hotch grabbed the papers and put them on the table, Gideon pored over them while Reid stood up from his chair and joined him. Hotch moved back to stand beside Sera’s chair, holding some of the papers in his hand and looked them over.

“He said owed.” Gideon said, reading the transcript as Mr. Davenport came back in to the room. He stood by the doorway, half inside the room and half out, able to hear his daughter in the kitchen and the conversation occurring between the BAU team in the dining room. Elle walked out to talk to Cheryl.

“$500 000.” Reid said quietly, looking at the papers spread out on the table surface with a frown.

“The demand seemed almost scripted.” Sera said with a frown. “As though he was reading to us.”

 _“$500 000 is what I’m owed.”_ His words echoing through her mind as she remembered his tone.

“But the rest of the conversation wasn’t.” Morgan said, leaning against the wall after moving to give Reid and Gideon room to work. Jade curled around his neck, happy and sated from her meal as she listened to the conversation. “He was his most relaxed just talking to Cheryl.”

“What does that mean?” Mr. Davenport asked.

“Maybe he already knew her.” Morgan replied with a shrug.  He turned to Reid and asked, “How much time we got?”

“6 minutes.”

“How quickly can you get the money?” Gideon asked.

Mr. Davenport looked between them all with a trapped and helpless expression.

“Within a few hours.” Mr. Davenport replied with a helpless sigh.

“Good. When he calls back, you need to be ready to get the money.” Gideon told him and he nodded in understanding, looking as though his world was collapsing in on itself.

Hotch and Morgan put the equipment back on the table and arranged the wires once more in their proper places as Elle and Cheryl walked back in to the room. Mr. Davenport sat down at the head of the table, Gideon sat next to him while Serta moved to the arm chair, the hard-backed dining chairs making her back hurt.

For several tense minutes, there was only silence, broken by their movements as they shifted places and adjusted their positions in their chairs or where they were standing.

The sudden ringing of the phone, though anticipated, drew their attention to the machine. Morgan and Sera picked up the headphones and held one side to their ears, Reid putting his over his head to leave his hands free to take notes as the kidnapper spoke, as Gideon reached out and answered the call on the second ring.

 _“Everything will be done by Cheryl.”_ The kidnapper said without preamble. “ _Cheryl will gather the money packets. Only she will touch the money. Cheryl will make the drop. If she is wired, if you use a look-a-like, Patricia dies. Cheryl will get in her car. No one is to be in the car with her, no one is to follow her, no air surveillance, no car surveillance of any kind will be tolerated. I will give directions over a cell phone as Cheryl drives. She must make the drop at exactly 3: A.M. She will follow each instruction to the letter.”_

Once the call ended, Hotch spoke up.

“We can’t let her go alone.”

“He said if he sees anyone-” Mr. Davenport said shakily.

“I know.” Hotch said gently. “One car, unmarked. Tinted windows.”

Mr. Davenport looked at them helplessly for a long moment before letting out a sigh.

“If he sees one of you, and Trish dies – if my daughter dies…” he was unable to finish his statement, but they all knew what it would do to him.

Hotch nodded silently in understanding as Gideon put a comforting hand on the man’s upper arm.

“You should get the money.” Gideon said gently and Mr. Davenport nodded, standing up and going out of the room. Cheryl followed him, leaving only the FBI agents in the dining room.

 _“He is in so much pain.”_ Sera said softly to Hotch through the Bond.

 _“I know.”_ He replied, squeezing her shoulders gently.

“Rapunzel,” Morgan called, getting the witch’s attention. “Would you be able to cast any spells to keep the car from being seen or noticed?”

Sera nodded and added, “I am also able to cast the spells on those in the car, so decide who will be going.”

They all looked at each other.

“Sera’s staying put.” Gideon started, eliminating Sera from the task from the very beginning.

“I will go.” Hotch said. “With Sera staying here, there would have direct Link to me.”

There were nods of agreement, though Sera didn’t look at all pleased.

“So long as you do not go alone.” Sera said with a displeased look on her face.

“Reid would be useful here.” Elle said. “And Gideon, you are the one that Mr. Davenport connects with the most.”

“So, that leaves Morgan or Elle.” Hotch said.

“I’ll go.” Morgan said.

Jade began hissing from her perch on Morgan’s shoulders. The team turned to Hotch and Sera for a translation.

“She would like to go as well.” Sera said.

Morgan nodded in understanding, gently rubbing the serpent’s scales.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was 2:20 A.M. by the time Mr. Davenport got the money. As ordered, Cheryl took the money packets out of the box it was brought to the house in and out them in a red duffle bag. She was in the kitchen, handling the money at the kitchen island as her father, Gideon and Elle watched in silence.

When the money was packed and the bag zipped, she grabbed it and walked out after saying her goodbyes to her father. She got into her car and drove off, Morgan, Hotch and Jade getting into an unmarked SUV with tinted windows, Sera casting the required spells on them and the SUV, before they too drove off.

Sera joined Reid in the dining room after reentering the house once the car was out of sight. She sat in the armchair next to him as he spoke into his phone.

“Cheryl’s car has GPS. We’ll be able to track her.”

 _“The first thing he’s gonna do is have her switch cars.”_ Morgan said. _“Where are we headed?”_

Sera took the laptop and looked at the map.

“Let’s see.” She typed a few commands and the locator glowed red indicating the current position. “An address that appears to be… a rental car parking space.”

 _“Thanks.”_ Morgan said as they hung up.

“They have arrived at the rental parking space.” Sera said a few minutes later, receiving a nod in response.

Reid looked at the clock on the mantle.

“5 minutes.” He told her softly.

Sera winced as she felt the baby give her a particularly hard kick. Sera gasped as she felt the urgency from Hotch. The sound drew Reid’s attention.

“Sera what is it? What happened?”

“I do not know.” She replied, her eyes wide as she looked at Reid. “There is a sudden urgency in Aaron. He isn’t replying to- wait.”

Reid nodded as Sera got her ‘Hotch face’ as Morgan had jokingly called her expression whenever she spoke to her soulmate.

_“Snow.”_

_“Aaron, what happened?”_ Her mental voice was almost frantic as she reached out and squeezed Reid’s hands tightly.

_“It was never a ransom drop. It was a second kidnapping.”_

_“Are you alright? Is Cheryl alright?”_ her eyes were wide as Reid held back his whimpers at the force with which she was squeezing.

_“Yeah, she’s okay. We’re all okay, but the kidnapper got a way.”_

_“Okay. Return to the house and I will inform Jason and the others.”_

She felt Hotch’s acceptance as she turned to Reid. He had a pained look on his face and when she looked down, she saw that she was clenching his hand tightly in hers.

“Sorry.” She said with a sheepish smile as she let go of his hand.

“No problem.” He squeaked, rubbing his hand to get the feeling back into it. “What happened?”

“Where’s Jason? I would rather say this only once, if possible.”

He nodded and went to get Gideon, returning a few seconds later with the older agent, Mr. Davenport and Elle in tow.

“What is it Sera? What did Hotch say?” Gideon asked with a worried frown.

She proceeded to inform them of what Hotch had told her. About it being a second kidnapping and how the kidnapper got away. She reassured the distraught father that Cheryl was alright, but knew that it would take Morgan or Hotch telling him and seeing her with his own eyes for him to really believe it.

As she finished the retelling, Mr. Davenport swayed slightly, a hand to his forehead. Gideon caught him before he could collapse and gently led the distraught father to a chair and helped him sit down. Sera conjured a glass of water and sent it over to Gideon who plucked it from the air and handed it to Mr. Davenport.

A few minutes later, the door opened, and Morgan walked in with Jade around his neck. Mr. Davenport jumped up from the chair and walked forwards, his mouth open to speak.

“Cheryl’s all right.” Morgan reassured him before he could say anything as Hotch led a frightened Cheryl inside the house. He joined Elle, Sera, Reid and Gideon by Sera’s chair, greeting them tiredly.

Mr. Davenport took Cheryl in his arms while Sera took Morgan’s hand in hers, squeezing gently. Jade slithered down Morgan’s arm and onto Sera’s while their hands were connected, making her way up and curling around the witch’s neck. Sera stood up and hugged Hotch tightly as Mr. Davenport gently guided Cheryl into the room.

The phone rang, causing Sera and Hotch to break apart from their hug and turn to the machine, the rest looking at it as well.

When it rang the second time, Reid leaned forwards and put on his headset, getting ready to type his notes as Mr. Davenport and Cheryl moved forwards slightly to stand by the table.

Morgan answered the call, not saying anything, as Gideon stood and moved to the table, coming to a stop between Cheryl and Morgan. Hotch still had his arms around Sera as they stood by the mantle, Jade around the witch’s neck, next to Elle.

“ _That was fun, wasn’t it? A little running around, getting our pulses racing. Are you there, Cheryl?”_ Cheryl leaned forward to respond but Morgan held out his hand to stop her, shaking his head. _“Are you there?!”_ Morgan gestured to her to wait, his hand still up. “ _Tell me you didn’t feel a slight tingle, a thrill run up your spine. Huh? But those clever and cunning FBI agents deduced my little plan just in time. They figured it out. If they hadn’t, I would have had you both. The whole set. The matching pair.”_

Reid made a note about the unsub being a collector.

“Why are you doing this?” Cheryl asked, dejectedly.

Morgan silently gestured to her to stop as the kidnapper replied.

 _“Because you asked me to, Cheryl. You asked me with your glances.”_ Cheryl frowned in confusion. _“The way you talk. Those little gestures.”_

Cheryl opened her mouth to speak and Reid frantically shook his head. Morgan pressed the mute button, rendering the unsub unable to hear their side of the call.

“What are you doing?” Cheryl asked Morgan.

“Do not answer this man.” Morgan told her firmly, his finger still on the mute button.

 _“You asked for this! You asked for it, Cheryl!”_ the kidnapper continued.

Cheryl slapped Morgan’s hand away from the button, cancelling the mute feature as she angrily yelled, “What do you want?”

Morgan rubbed his hand over his face as the unsub replied.

_“What do I want?! You! It may not be today, it may not be tomorrow but I promise you, we will be together.”_

The kidnapper hung up the phone as Cheryl shook her head in despair, collapsing on to a nearby chair with her head in her hands.

XXXXXXXXX

A short time later, once Cheryl and Mr. Davenport were able to compose themselves, Sera, with Jade still around her neck, Reid and Gideon led them to the study to talk privately.

“We can’t let Cheryl speak with him any further.” Gideon said once the Davenports, Sera and Reid were seated.

Gideon stood behind Sera’s chair with Reid on the chair next to her.

“Why not?” Cheryl asked, seated next to her father on the leather sofa across from the agents.

“To allow your interaction would feed his psychosis more power.” Sera replied in her regal tone. “Was Patricia involved in any serious relationships prior to the kidnapping?”

“With the boy that was killed. They were together for 2 years.” Mr. Davenport replied as Cheryl looked down.

Cheryl looked at her father for a moment before saying, somewhat hesitantly, “Trish didn’t want me to tell you. They were getting engaged.”

“Well, that certainly could’ve been the unsub’s stressor.” Gideon said with a sigh.

Sera and Reid nodded in agreement.

“What does that mean?” Mr. Davenport asked in confusion. “Will someone please tell me what we’re dealing with here?”

“The De Clerembault’s Syndrome, otherwise known as Erotomania.” Reid replied. “The belief that someone, usually of a higher social status but not necessarily a celebrity, is in love with you. Erotomanics believe that the objects of their affection are subtly professing their love for them through looks, gestures-”

“Glances.” Gideon added, cutting Reid off as a piece of the puzzle fell into place. At Cheryl’s confused frown, he continued, “He said, ‘You asked me with your glances’.”

“The unsub truly and whole-heartedly believes that Cheryl and Patricia are in love with him.” Sera said. “They do not tell him of their love with their voices. Rather, with their gestures and looks.”

“He’s obsessed with them.” Reid finished as Sera nodded in agreement.

“What does this mean?” Mr. Davenport asked.

“He is the most determined kind of criminal.” Gideon replied.

“Similar to how a man would fight the Gods themselves for his love, this unsub would do the same for Cheryl and Patricia because he believes they reciprocate his love.” Sera said, giving a manner of context to Gideon’s response.

They nodded in understanding and Mr. Davenport rubbed his hands over his face, utterly exhausted. His daughter wasn’t any less exhausted, having had no rest since she returned from school, presumably after a full day of classes.

“Mr. Davenport, Cheryl, why don’t you try to get some rest?” Sera suggested gently, seeing the weariness on their faces. They opened their mouths to argue and she shook her head, stalling any reply. “We need you to be at your best. Patricia needs you to be at your best. I am not saying to sleep. I know you will be unable to do so. Lay down on the sofa and close your eyes, allow your bodies a chance for a few moments of rest before the unsub calls once again.”

They nodded and stood up, Reid following suit. Sera moved to get up as well, taking her two tries before she finally managed to make it to her feet.

“Not a word Jason. The same applies to you as well, Jade.” She growled at Gideon, who was looking at her with amusement.

“Wasn’t gonna say anything.” He replied, a wide smirk on his face. Jade hissed her own response, similar to the older agents’.  

“Indeed not.” She muttered, a hand on her back as her face took on a green tinge and her eyes widened.

“Bathroom?” Gideon asked Mr. Davenport, seeing the expression on the pregnant woman’s face.

“Down the hall, first door on the right.” Mr. Davenport replied, recognizing the signs of nausea.

 _“Thisss isss my cue to sssswitch humansss.”_ Jade hissed as Reid held out his arm for the snake to transfer onto. Even though Reid didn’t understand what the snake was saying, he knew that she didn’t like being a witness to it.

Sera nodded in thanks before running out of the study and to the bathroom for another round of puking.

“You’d think she’d be used to this by now.” Gideon commented as they walked out of the study, Reid and Cheryl in front while the two older males a few paces behind. Jade made her way up Reid’s lanky frame, curling around the genius’ neck and falling asleep seconds later.

Hotch came out of the dining room and stood in front of the bathroom door, knocking lightly.

“Snow?” Hotch called through the door.

“I’m alright.” She called back before the sound of retching could be heard.

“I’m coming in.” Hotch said, though he waited until she gave and agreeing response before entering and closing the bathroom door behind him.

“How far along is she?” Cheryl asked curiously, momentarily putting her worry and fear aside in favor of the beautiful pregnant woman that was just with them.

“24 weeks.” Reid replied with a smile as they headed towards the sitting room. It was the closest room to the dining room that had long sofas that the pair could lie down on.

Before Mr. Davenport or Cheryl could say anything in response, they reached the sitting room and Cheryl sat down on the sofa.

“Get some rest.” Reid said, slightly awkwardly, as the blonde nodded.

Mr. Davenport went to another sofa and sat down as well. The two agents left the room, Gideon going to the kitchen while Reid went back to the dining room.

In the kitchen, Gideon was joined by Morgan and Elle as he grabbed an orange and a knife. Sera and Hotch walked in just then, Sera with a hand on her belly and Hotch right behind her.

“How you feeling?” Elle asked with a slight wince, leaning against the microwave and taking in the woman’s exhausted appearance, though still managing to look regal and aristocratic.

“As though I have a centaur growing within me.” Sera replied with a growl as she levitated herself to sit on the island counter.

Hotch leaned back against it next to Sera’s legs, keeping a calming hand on the irritated woman’s legs.

“Okay. Crime of obsession. Your specialty, your lead, Morgan.” Hotch said, turning the conversation back to the case as Gideon cut into the orange, standing by the shorter edge of the island.

“I think we should recheck everyone on Davenport’s staff against the profile of a stalker.” Morgan said, leaning back against the counter opposite Hotch and Sera.

“Aren’t stalking behaviors pretty diverse?” Elle asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

“There’s overlap.” Morgan replied, glancing at her. “Narcissistic, inflated sense of self-worth, history of bad relationships.”

“What do we know thus far?” Sera asked.

“He’s probably white, obviously male. Sophisticated speech patterns.” Morgan replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Sophisticated, yet bizarre.” Gideon said, not looking up from his task of cutting the orange. “He rarely uses contractions. It’s not ‘you’re’, it’s ‘you are’.”

“That is the manner in which I speak.” Sera pointed out.

“True, but this guy’s pretentious.” Morgan replied. “Rapunzel, you speak that way because of your position as Liaison and your status in the Magical World. When speaking with other Races, or when representing the Bureau, you speak formally, which tends to overlap into your everyday life. And it’s not just you rarely using contractions, you actually speak as if you’re from a different time period. And you were taught to speak that way. This guy’s trying to make himself sound smarter than he actually is. What ever position of authority or level of success this guy has, he had to struggle for it.”

Sera nodded in understanding, she had adopted the formal way of speaking when she was in school, reinforced by her Uncle and Cousin when they would return home to New Orleans during the holidays. While her cousin, now Lord of the LaMontagne Bloodline, would speak with a non-formal speech pattern when communicating with friends, family and co-workers, Sera’s had remained formal due to her much more frequent interactions with other Races, which require the use of formal speech patterns as well as her position as the Head, and Lady, of the Potter, Black and Peverell Bloodlines, along with the Regent Lady of the Lupin Bloodline until Teddy became of age.

“We also have to face the possibility that…” Hotch began, lowering his voice to just higher than a whisper.

“He might kill Trish.” Elle finished, moving around the island to stand on Sera’s other side.

“We know he hasn’t yet, because Sera hasn’t felt it, but Sera,” Morgan started, turning to the witch as he continued, “You need to be extremely careful.”

Sera nodded as Gideon handed out the orange slices to each of them.

“Stay near Hotch as much as possible.” The senior most agent said, looking at her directly in the eyes, almost entirely eye-level with her seated on the island.

“I will, Jason.” She replied softly.

“I’ll make sure of it.” Hotch said, squeezing the woman’s legs slightly.

“You know, so far, he’s called every play.” Morgan said with a sigh once Gideon was satisfied that Sera wouldn’t stray too far from Hotch. “I say we apply some pressure, make him sweat.”

“There is only one manner in which to do so.” Sera said as Gideon threw the orange peels out. “And Mr. Davenport will be none too pleased.”

The statement got various sounds of agreement as Hotch held a hand to Sera as she levitated herself off the island and they walked out of the kitchen.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

In the dining room, Mr. Davenport paced the length of the table (looking slightly better than he had been though still weary), Morgan stood at one end of the table while Sera sat in the arm chair once more, Hotch standing beside her.

Gideon sat in front of the open window while Reid was in his usual seat next to Sera with the laptop open in front of him on the table – with Jade now wide awake still around his neck. Cheryl and Elle were standing beside Reid, Cheryl fiddling with her hands.

When the phone rang, Mr. Davenport stopped his pacing and turned to it, the rest staying where they were as they looked at it. On the third ring, Mr. Davenport reach out to answer the call.

“Hold on,” Gideon said, stopping the man from doing anything. “Hold on, hold on.”

As the phone continued to ring, Gideon stood up and walked to the table, coming to a stop directly in front of the machine. The confusion at Gideon’s lack of action to answer the call was almost tangent, expressed clearly on the Davenports faces, and much more subtly on the team’s faces though they had an idea of what the agent was up to.

Finally, after the phone rang several times, Gideon answered the call, only to hang up the very next second.

“What are you doing?” Mr. Davenport asked with a frown, looking at the agent.

When the phone rang again seconds later, Gideon made no move to answer.

“Agent Gideon…” Mr. Davenport said. He looked between the phone and the agents in helpless confusion.

On the fifth ring, Gideon answered the call.

“Hello?” he said calmly leaning forward and resting his hands on either side of the machine.

_“Tell me there was a technical issue with the line, because if you really hung up on m-”_

Gideon hung up the call.

“What the hell are you doing?” Mr. Davenport exclaimed as Cheryl clenched Elle’s arm in terror, her blue eyes filled with tears.

Gideon didn’t reply as the phone rang once more.

“Are you going to answer it?” Cheryl asked, her voice desperate as the phone continued to ring.

“Why is he doing this? What is he – what is – you’re gonna drive this guy crazy. Just- just answer the phone!” Mr. Davenport rambled panicked.

“Be quiet. Please, quiet.” Gideon told the man gently, holding up a finger.

Mr. Davenport let out a breath as Morgan put a hand on his shoulder, the phone continuing to ring.

“Cheryl-” Elle started as she put a hand out to stop Cheryl, who had moved forwards.

 “Just answer the phone for God’s sake! Somebody has to answer it!” the blonde screamed as Elle gently tugged her back.

“Cheryl, he knows what he’s doing.” Elle said gently, her arms around the blonde and holding her back.

“Just- just answer the phone!” Mr. Davenport cried out. “Pick up the phone!”

Mr. Davenport lunged for the answer button and Morgan held him back.

“Don’t touch it!” Gideon said as he held Mr. Davenport’s hand, preventing him from touching the button.

“He knows what he’s doing.” Morgan said, holding the man back.

It rang two more times before Gideon answered.

“Davenport Residence.”

_“Are you out of your mind? You do realize, you do understand, that I’ll kill her?! Do you-”_

Gideon hung up the phone once more. Cheryl and Mr. Davenport, both being held back by Elle and Morgan respectively, looked on in helpless fear, their eyes filled with tears and confusion.

The phone began to ring once more, and Gideon smiled.

“You’re killing my daughter! Pick up the phone!” Mr. Davenport yelled as he struggled against Morgan’s powerful frame to try and reach the machine.

“Get him quiet.” Gideon ordered calmly as Mr. Davenport continued yelling, muffled slightly by Morgan’s shoulder as he held the man back.

 “Mr. Davenport, get a hold of yourself.” Gideon said as the man continued yelling for Gideon to answer the phone.

He was now halfway on the ground, Morgan and a local Field Agent held him.

“Answer the phone!” he yelled hysterically.

“Quiet him!” Gideon ordered.

Mr. Davenport’s yells gave way to sobs as he collapsed against Morgan, who held him and quietly told the other agent that it was okay to let him go. Cheryl lost the battle against her tears as she sobbed into Elle’s shoulder, the brunette agent holding her gently.

Seeing that the Davenports were quiet, to an extent, Gideon answered the call.

 _“She is dead!”_ the kidnapper yelled as Cheryl sobbed, muffled by Elle’s shoulder. The team looked at Sera and she shook her head indicating that it wasn’t true. _“You hang up on me again, and I rip her open!”_

“I’m sorry. You must have the wrong number.” Gideon said calmly before hanging up the phone again.

“Come on Gideon.” Morgan said, standing on front of Mr. Davenport and holding him by the upper arms as the man breathed heavily, tears running down his cheeks and soaking his beard.

“You killed her.” Mr. Davenport said weakly, in a shaky voice that echoed his pain.

“No, sir.” Gideon replied.

“Oh, yeah. Then what – what the hell do you think you’re doing?” Mr. Davenport asked faintly, his voice no louder than it had been seconds earlier.

“I’m saving your daughter, Mr. Davenport.” Gideon replied, looking the man in the eyes, despite the table between them and the distraught man on the ground.

The phone began to ring once again. Mr. Davenport shook his head and dropped his head into his hands, breathing heavily.

“Have a little faith.” Gideon said.

He answered the phone after it rang four more times.

_“Put Cheryl on the phone.”_

“No. you’re finished talking to Cheryl.” Gideon replied.

The kidnapper scoffed.

 _“Listen to that tone of authority. Just like your published work, Agent Gideon. Fascinating to hear the same arrogant quality in your own voice.”_ As the kidnapper spoke, Reid took a headset and put it on. _“You are a bit of a pedant, Jason, a bit didactic?”_

“Well, that’s a very interesting conclusion.” Gideon commented. “You sound intelligent, and you certainly sound educated, and… we both know that’s not true.”

 _“Oh, I know about all of you. The ambitious Agent Hotchner? Do you want to be director of the FBI someday, Agent Hotchner? Would you step on Jason Gideon to get there? I think you would. Post-Traumatic Stress is a very good excuse. Even your sick, pregnant wife can’t get you to leave your post. And there’s your Soul Mate, the beautiful and regal Dr. Seraphina Potter. The British witch and heiress that stands by you even though she’s had blood on her hands from the time she was 11 years old. She spent 10 years living with her abusive maternal relatives after she witnessed her parent’s murder at the tender age of 15 months. Seraphina Potter, you are pregnant, and you have to raise your child alone since your husband’s death during Hurricane Katrina, not only this child but your 4 other children. Jason Gideon, an expert in the criminal psyche yet unable to diagnose the autistic leanings of the very insecure Dr. Reid. Well, maybe he can make money counting cards in Las Vegas. The lovely Elle was promoted too soon. She doesn’t have what it takes to make it in the BAU Boys Club. You’re no threat to me, you’re no threat to anyone. And Token Derek Morgan wants to be taken seriously but he’s just a pumped-up side of beef. I know who you are, I know how you think and I know what to do next! Do you?”_ with that, the kidnapper hung up.

Through it all, Gideon, Morgan and Sera were holding back their laughter, though their amusement was written clearly all over their faces.

“What the hell was that?” Mr. Davenport asked faintly, his mouth trembling as he spoke. “Why did he say that he knows what to do next? Is he gonna hurt my daughter?”

“He was grandstanding.” Gideon replied.

“You don’t know that.” Mr. Davenport protested. “You-you can’t possibly know that.”

He stood up and made a move towards the older agent, only to be held back by Morgan.

“Mr. Davenport, I have learned more in the last 5 minutes than in the last 24 hours.” Gideon said calmly and firmly, looking up at the man.

“Oh, really? Well, I don’t understand. Why is he so focused on you right now?”

“Because we are interfering with his relationship with the girls.” Morgan said.

“He said he knows all about you.”

“Yes, apparently.” Hotch said, nodding.

“He profiled us, Mr. Davenport.” Sera said.

“Why would he do that?” Cheryl asked tearfully, pulling away from Elle’s embrace.

“To show us how smart he is.” Elle replied.

“Oftentimes, the best profilers are the unsub’s themselves.” Reid said, causing the blonde to look at him. “They’re the ones able to walk into an arcade full of children and pinpoint the boy or girl that can be led out quietly.”

“However, he made a mistake.” Sera said. “He gave us something that he did not expect.”

“Which is?” Mr. Davenport asked her, having turned to look at her when she spoke.

“He gave us the manner in which to find him.” She replied with a radiant smile, her eyes sparkling behind her glasses.

Her statement was met with complete silence, broken only by the soft ‘ow’ made by the pregnant woman as the baby kicked her, her smile fading into a wince.

“You’re sure?” Cheryl asked shakily. “You can find Trish?”

“Yes. We can find her.” Gideon replied as Mr. Davenport began pacing.

For several minutes, the only sounds in the room were Hotch and Sera talking quietly, Mr. Davenport’s pacing and Cheryl’s trying to calm her erratic breathing.

Seeing that none of the agents were going anywhere, Mr. Davenport’s helplessness gave way to anger as he rounded on Gideon, being the senior most agent on the team.

“You said you guys knew how to find him, that you were gonna save my daughter. Why don’t you get out there and do something?” he angrily pointed towards the door that Agent Shyer just walked in through. “What are you standing around – everybody’s standing around here, looking-”

“Mr. Davenport -” Gideon started as he stood up from his chair, only to be cut off by the furious father.

“Don’t condescend me. Don’t patronize me!” he growled.

“Evan, Evan, Evan.” Agent Shyer said, stalking over to the furious man who was angrily looking at Gideon. “Everybody’s doing the best that they can. Come on. Take a break. Come on.” Shyer firmly pushed Mr. Davenport towards the doorway. “Take a break, come on.”

Shyer firmly guided the man out of the room and towards the kitchen as the aides and local agents followed as well. Morgan sighed and shook his head, watching the small group walk out.

“For the suspect to know that much about us, especially about Sera, he has to be one of us.” He said once the last aide had walked out, leaving only the BAU team.

“We had just been discussing this.” Sera admitted softly, gesturing to herself and Hotch as she added a temporary Privacy Ward to ensure their conversation remains private.

“I’m gonna have Garcia do a search of the New Haven FBI Field Office. The guy we’re looking for knows this house, he knows the family.” Hotch told them.

“There’s 700 Agents in New Haven and another 70 in Satellite Offices.” Reid said.

“And Mr. Davenport is acquainted with quite a good number of them.” Sera added with a sigh.

“While we’re narrowing the list, Cheryl can’t stay here.” Elle pointed out. “If he’s one of us, he has access, weapons and you bet he’s got a strategy.”

“So, whom then do we trust?” Sera asked quietly.

Hotch took her hand as she remembered the distrust and malcontent that followed Voldemort’s second rise to power.

“No one.” He said grimly, squeezing Sera’s hand. “We need to get Cheryl to a safe house.”

“And limit the amount of agents she comes in contact with.” Morgan added.

There were agreeing nods all around, it was the best option they had. Gideon left the room to talk to Mr. Davenport and tell him of the plan to move Cheryl to a safe house. As expected, it didn’t sit well with the man who was already fearful for the life and safety of one daughter and was now about to let the other out of his sight and contact. With gentle persuasion, Gideon was able to convince Mr. Davenport to agree, Cheryl having already agreed, albeit reluctantly.

Within the hour, Cheryl was ready to go, wearing an FBI jacket and a baseball cap, and saying her goodbyes to her father for the second time that night.

Sera walked out with Cheryl and Morgan after the pair of agents guarding the door gave the all clear. She watched from the porch as Morgan walked Cheryl to the second SUV, closed the door behind her and got into the front passenger seat, Elle already seated in the driver seat. A team of three agents, including Shyer, were in the first SUV. As soon as the doors were closed, the SUV’s rolled out through the front gate.

Sera waited until they were out of sight before turning, magically refilling the two agents’ coffee cups (receiving hearty thanks from them both) and going back inside, closing the door behind her. She saw Mr. Davenport sitting on the sofa in the sitting room with Gideon standing a few paces in front of him, both talking quietly. She made her way into the kitchen and began making some tea, using fresh lavender leaves from her purse to help ease the palpable tension that they were feeling.

Rummaging through the cabinets, she found a tea serving set and poured the tea into the cups before picking up the tray and walking out of the kitchen. She made her way to the sitting room where Mr. Davenport and Gideon were.

“I made some tea.” Sera said with a soft smile when the two men looked at her.

“Which one?” Gideon asked with a mock frown, knowing that Sera had a habit of adding different herbs to the teas depending on the situation.

“Lavender.” She replied as she handed a cup to Mr. Davenport before handing one to Gideon.

“And it does what, exactly?” the agent asked, as he held the delicate cup with both hands.

“Lavender has calming and soothing properties, particularly the petals which I have added to the tea.” She replied with a smile, a look of fond exasperation on her face as she went through the same routine with him as she did every time she served him one of her teas.

Mr. Davenport took a small sip and sighed as his shoulders relaxed, the lavender already working through his system and helping him relax his tense muscles.

“Thank you.” He said earnestly, looking at the regal woman in front of him.

“You’re very welcome, Mr. Davenport.” Sera replied with a gentle smile. She nodded at the two and walked out.

“How old is she?” Mr. Davenport asked curiously, his eye on her retreating back and remembering in the regal manner she conducted herself and the shadows of pain hidden within her bespectacled emerald eyes. He also noticed the chocolate rim that surrounded her pupil, though the emerald green was the dominant color.

“25.” Gideon replied.

“You’re kidding!” was the shocked response.

Mr. Davenport couldn’t believe that she was that young. Despite her youthful appearance, he thought her to be closer to her thirties, at the very least, if not older, considering her behavior and mannerisms.

“No.” Gideon shook his head and his tone took on a somber note as he continued, “That woman has been through more than anyone can imagine, and she still has a radiant smile ready on her face for anyone who needs it.”

“So, what the kidnapper had said about her, it was true?” Mr. Davenport asked, genuinely curious. “About witnessing her parents’ murder when she was 15 months old?”

“Yes.” Gideon replied softly as he sat down next to him, taking a sip of his tea. “The man tried to kill her that night as well, but she survived. Since then, he had become fixated on her, doing everything he could to destroy her willpower and her courage. His followers killed her godfather and her uncle when she was 15 and 17 respectively, the two last remaining links she had to her father, they killed her first love in front of her when she was 14 and so many others before she turned 18. If he didn’t kill them then his followers did.” Gideon sighed and rested his head against the back of the sofa. He gave a wry smile. “The funny thing is, she doesn’t hate any of them. Not the man who killed her parents and countless others, not her maternal relatives who abused her for 10 years. None of them.”

“And she still finds it in her to smile with her whole heart.” Mr. Davenport said in wonder. He sighed faintly and took a sip of his tea, marveling at the wonderful taste and the soothing effect it had on him.

Gideon only nodded as he sipped his tea, pondering on the strength the woman had in her tiny body. They had caught unsubs who had been through less then half of what Sera had been through, yet they had become criminals to try and take their

revenge out on the innocence of the world around them. Sera had been used and abused, hurt and exploited; seen as a hero and a villain when all she wanted was a family who loved her just the way she was. When he had first heard her story, a life that was the stuff of nightmares for even the most hardened of adults, he had been heartbroken and angry for her, even now he would still feel that deep-seated anger rise within him whenever something reminded her of her painful past. And he wasn’t the only one, it was the same with the entire team, plus almost all the agents that worked in the Behavioral Analysis Unit and other departments of the Bureau. Yet, not one of them would ever pity her, not when she had taken everything that she had been through and used it to become a stronger person.

Sera made her way through the house, serving the tea to the others that were there. She returned the tray to its place in the kitchen before joining Reid in the dining room with the last two cups.

Reid, with his phone held to his ear, took the cup from her with his free hand and nodded his thanks, mouthing ‘Elle’ when she gestured to the phone with a questioning look. She nodded in understanding and sat down in the armchair that was beside him.

She cast a Privacy Ward around the two of them and Reid put the phone on speaker so that she could hear the conversation as well.

“Okay, Elle. Sera’s with me, she out up a Privacy Ward and we’re on speaker.” Reid said before asking, “What were you saying?”

 _“Do you guys know what non-local interaction is_?” the brunette agent asked, repeating her question.

“Yeah.” Reid said. “Its…” the genius went into ‘lecture mode’ and proceeded to give a full definition of the term.

“What are you thinking of, Elle?” Sera asked, cutting Reid off halfway through his explanation.

He gave her a put-out expression as she mouthed ‘Sorry’ at him as Elle responded with a question.

_“How can he be holding Trish prisoner and still know exactly what we’re taking about?”_

“I know what you’re saying.” Reid said with a frown. “It seems like he knows what’s going on here the moment that it happens.”

 _“There’s gotta be a listening device.”_ Elle said.

“They had performed a sweep of the room when we arrived.” Sera reminded her.

“Yeah. And then they brought in their own equipment.” Elle said.

Sera and Reid glanced at the agent that was by the staircase before turning back to the phone.

 _“I will get Jasssson.”_ Jade hissed, uncurling herself from around Reid’s neck and making her way to the ground before slithering out of the room. She was gone before Sera or Reid could remind her that Gideon wouldn’t understand what she was saying.

The serpent rapidly made her way to the sitting room and, once she saw Gideon, began hissing loudly. Gideon looked at her in confusion.

“Jade, I don’t know what you’re saying.” He said, shaking his head.

Jade rolled her eyes and gestured towards the dining room with her tail, still hissing.

Gideon looked between Jade and the general direction of the dining room, still not understanding what she was saying. Hotch ran in and came to a stop next to the serpent.

“Reid and Sera need to talk to you.” He said, panting slightly.

“That’s what you were trying to say?” Gideon asked the serpent, looking down at the floor.

Jade nodded and rolled her eyes as Hotch picked her up and let her curl around his neck.

“Excuse us, please.” Hotch said to Mr. Davenport, who nodded with a confused look on his face as the two agents hurried out of the room.

Mr. Davenport, trying to wrap his head around the fact that the snake seemed to _understand_ what Gideon had said, didn’t even notice when they had left the room.

Joining Reid and Sera in the dining room, the two younger agents quickly filled them in on their conversation with Elle.

 _“Snow, run a scan over the equipment. See if your magic begins to interfere with anything.”_ Hotch mentally told Sera, who nodded.

“ _Wingardium Leviosa.”_ Sera whispered, holding out her hand running it over each piece of equipment.

Reid and Gideon, who had both noticed the brief mental conversation, stood back as the witch ran her test. Several other agents had come into the room by that point and were watching the beautiful witch use her magic, basic though the spell was. While they knew about magic, it wasn’t very often that they were able to see it being used. Mr. Davenport walked into the room just as Sera stopped at the phone.

“Over here.” She told them.

She moved back as Gideon and Reid opened the machine up, finding the listening device in the middle. Gideon took it out and held it in his hand, wrapping the mic antenna around the base.

He looked at Mr. Davenport, who was watching them, something that had occurred earlier nagging at him.

“Agent Shyer called you by your first name.” Gideon said as he walked over to where Mr. Davenport had been pacing. “You know him that well?”

“He works out of the New York Field Office.” Mr. Davenport replied, stopping his pacing and turning to look at the agent. “I know his father. We’ve met socially on occasion.”

“Has he been here before?” Gideon asked.

“A few times.” Mr. Davenport replied, a confused look on his face as he nodded.

Gideon turned around and walked back towards the federal agents, slamming the listening device on the coffee table.

Sera, having heard the conversation between the two men, took out her phone and dialed Morgan’s cell phone.

“There’s no answer on Derek’s mobile.” She said worriedly, looking up at Reid, Gideon and Hotch.

“Try Elle.” Gideon said.

Sera nodded and dialed the older brunette’s number, putting the phone to her ear as it rang.

_“Greenaway.”_

“Elle, it’s Agent Shyer. He is the kidnapper. I can’t get ahold of Derek, he is not answering his mobile.” Sera rapidly said into the phone.

 _“Got it.”_ Elle said. _“I’m gonna get Cheryl to safety then check on Morgan.”_

“All right. Be careful.” Sera agreed, somewhat reluctantly but knowing that at the moment, Cheryl’s safety was more important, not to mention she hadn’t felt Morgan’s death, so he was still alive.

“Elle is going to find Agent Shyer and apprehend him before checking on Derek.” Sera informed Reid, Gideon and Hotch as she hung up the phone.

They nodded as Sera began to pace.

 _“Snow, as long as you don’t feel their deaths, you know they’re okay.”_ Hotch mentally reminded her, his tone gentle as he sent a wave of calm and reassurance to her.

“I know, Aaron.” Sera replied out loud, turning to him. “It doesn’t prevent me from worrying.”

The sudden comment earned her several strange looks as Reid and Gideon just shrugged.

“You never were able to stay on the sidelines.” Hotch muttered as he shook his head.

Sera stuck her tongue out at him as she resumed her pacing. For several long minutes, there was only the sound of Sera and Mr. Davenport’s pacing and the slight hum of conversation between the agents.

The sound of Sera’s phone ringing startled everyone.

“Potter.” She said after answering the phone.

 _“Cheryl’s safe, Shyer’s in custody and we have Patricia’s location. Morgan is okay as well, he had gotten tasered.”_ Elle said without preamble.

Sera gave a sigh of relief.

“Cheryl is safe. Elle has Patricia’s location and Agent Shyer is in custody.” She said with a wide smile.

There was a collective sigh of relief from everyone. Mr. Davenport swayed slightly, Hotch catching him before he could collapse and helping him sit down.

XXXXXX

Less than two hours later, they were all at the warehouse, watching as Patricia was loaded into the ambulance, Cheryl and Mr. Davenport half a step behind her. Just before the doors to the ambulance closed, Mr. Davenport looked at Gideon and mouthed ‘Thank you’, to which Gideon nodded in response.

As the ambulance drove away, Reid asked Gideon, with honest curiosity, how Elle had been able to get Shyer to give up Patricia’s location. Gideon replied that the brunette must have gotten creative, and when Reid went to probe further, gently told his protégé that there were times when it’s better to not ask questions.

The drive to the air strip and the flight back to Quantico was quiet, Sera healing Morgan’s taser wounds before the two joined the rest in sleep. Elle and Morgan returned to the Federal Building to write up their report while the rest went straight home, Draco meeting them at the airstrip and offering to give them a ride, which they happily agreed to.

At the Marauder Manor, Sera looked in on the children who were still sleeping, watching them for several minutes. She silently prayed that they remain free from danger and harm, before saying her goodnights to Draco and Hermione, the only two who were awake, and going to her room to sleep, leaving her paperwork to be completed the next day.

_ Links _

_*Sera dress -_ [ _https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/423197696217397361/_ ](https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/423197696217397361/)

_*Sera hair -_ [ _https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/474566879474964454/_ ](https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/474566879474964454/)


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